If By Happenstance
by sophietee
Summary: "I'm afraid," he said quietly. "Why?" "Because," he explained sadly, "I don't want this to be merely happenstance." Post-Avengers.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Jane watched with the others as Thor left with Loki, bound up and gagged.

_Serves him right. Bastard,_ Jane thought to herself. She despised him. He deserved whatever punishment Odin decided for him. He destroyed an entire city, killing innocent people, and for what? No one knew. For all Jane cared, Loki could rot in hell. Her blood boiled as she saw the smug look in his eyes.

As soon as the two Asgardians left, Jane turned and walked toward the escort vehicle with a few other agents. Fury grabbed her arm, stopping her in her tracks.

"Thank you, Miss Foster. You were instrumental in his capture."

Jane nodded. "Of course. Glad to help. If there's anything else you might need, you know where to reach me," she replied. Fury nodded in thanks, and Jane got in the car. The SHIELD agent informed her that she would be taken directly to the airport and head back on the first flight back to New Mexico.

_Thank god,_ she thought. _I need to get back home._

oOoOo

Thor appeared in the BiFrost room, Loki in tow. Heimdall did not meet his gaze; he welcomed them with nothing but a distant look in his eye.

"Welcome home. Your father awaits you in the throne room."

Thor nodded and led Loki out of the Bifrost room. Strangely enough, Loki did not struggle against his bonds. Thor said nothing to his brother; there was nothing he _could_ say.

As soon as they had reached the throne room, a palace guard announced their arrival. Odin turned around from where he stood, and Frigga moved quickly to embrace them. She wrapped her arms around Thor first, planting a light kiss on his cheek.

"Welcome home, Thor." Frigga then moved to Loki and placed her gentle hands on the gag. It fell away, and Loki stretched his jaw. His expression remained stoic, and Frigga gave him a sympathetic look.

"I welcome you home as well, my son." She reached out to touch his cheek, but he flinched away from her touch, causing her hand to retract. Loki met her gaze, and noticed a brief flash of hurt in her eyes. She turned away and joined the Allfather once again.

Odin stepped forward and spoke. "Loki Odinson, your crimes against Asgard and Midgard cannot and will not go unanswered. The devastation you have attempted to cause Jotunheim and the destruction you have instigated upon Midgard have been reviewed by the war council.

"As it stands, the members of the council have left me with the task of deciding your fate, your punishment. What is needed most is an offering of peace," Odin continued vaguely. Loki met the Allfather's gaze, steeling his resolve.

"I assume you have something in mind," Loki replied neutrally. He knew, in the back of his mind, that that Allfather was highly unpredictable; trying to predict what he would do or say always proved to be a waste of time and energy.

The Allfather raised his hands. "I strip you of your power, just as your brother had been stripped of his. You too will be forced to find your way without the power that comes naturally to you until you prove to me that you are worthy enough to wield it once more."

Loki snarled. "What a splendid punishment, _Allfather_," he said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "I was never worthy enough in your eyes, and I never will be. I suppose I shall live without the magic you always seemed to encourage."

Odin did not respond, but only continued. "As for the remaining punishment, you will know in a few days time. Until then, you are to be placed under strict watch. It would serve you well to avoid causing any trouble, my son."

"I am _not_ your son!" Loki spat. The Allfather's expression remained neutral at Loki's outburst, but the look in his eye conveyed something differently. His gaze glistened with tears, and he turned away.

Thor clenched his jaw and grabbed his brother by his arm, nearly dragging him out of the throne room. When they were out of earshot, he turned on Loki and met him nose to nose.

"Why would you say such a thing?"

"Because it is true, _brother_. Is that not what both you and _father_ have always tried to encourage? The truth?"

"Why do you mock the love we have for you? Have you any idea what your disappearance had done to us?"

"Sentiment is useless. There is no place for it where it will not be heeded."

"Father mourned the most. You are his _son_; that will never change. You will always be a part of this family, no matter how many times you deny it." Loki tore his eyes away from Thor's.

"Do we mean nothing to you?" Thor whispered, his tone a little less sure than before. Loki met his brother's gaze once again; his eyes searched, but he was not sure what it was he searched for.

"I should ask you all the same."

Loki broke free from Thor's grasp and began to walk away.

"Where are you going?"

Loki turned and replied in a mildly broken voice.

"Where you will always find me when you become afraid of the night."

oOoOo

Thor walked back into the throne room, joining his mother and father once more. Frigga moved away from the Allfather; it was clear she had just been consoling him.

"Father, what do you propose we do?"

"I do not see it as a wise decision to keep him here; he does not want to be here."

"But where would he be otherwise? This is his home." Thor drew his eyebrows together in confusion.

"There is still hope for your brother, Thor. There always has been," Odin remarked soberly.

"What hope is there now?"

"I have entertained an idea for some time; a strange idea, but an idea nonetheless." Odin sighed. "If he is kept under constant watch here, he will not change. His resentment will only grow for us. However, if Loki was exposed, similarly to you, to an outside force, there is possibility for change. A strong possibility."

"What are you saying? That we send him _back_ to Midgard?" Odin nodded, and Thor stepped back in confusion.

"I do not understand. How would being sent back to Midgard _help_ him? He was only just brought home!"

"Do you not know the best how time spent in the company of strangers can change you for the better?" Odin asked. Thor remained silent, aware that the Allfather spoke only truth.

"What do you plan to do?"

"Send him to Midgard, as I did with you. Only instead of loosing him upon the mortals, I will place him under the watchful eye of Jane Foster."

Thor nearly choked. "_What_?"

Odin nodded. "Who better to facilitate change than Lady Jane Foster?"

"I would no sooner force that upon her than send my own brother to Midgard alone to face a hostile world."

"Why not? I have come to the understanding that you no longer seek her affections, and she no longer seeks yours. Is there another conflict you speak of?"

"He nearly killed her! Had I not been there to shield her, Jane would have died beneath the rubble of a fallen building. _At his hands_," Thor explained heatedly.

"Yes, but he would learn humility. He would not have his power until he earned it. Jane will have nothing to fear."

"How do you know she will agree to this?" Thor grasped at straws.

"I do not. I can only hope that she would agree. For everyone's sake."

oOoOo

"Absolutely not! Are you _crazy_?" Jane asked incredulously. Director Fury stood patiently in front of her, Thor only a few steps behind.

"Miss Foster, there is clearly an opportunity here for achieving a better understanding of Loki." Fury sighed. "You _did_ mention that if we needed anything else, we should call you."

"Yeah, but when I meant 'anything else', I was talking about research, not _this_!" Jane shook her head. "I won't do it."

Thor stepped forward. "Jane, might I speak with you a moment? Alone?"

Director Fury took this as a sign to leave, and he walked out of the room. Thor stepped closer to Jane, giving her an apologetic look.

"I know I have no right to ask this of you, but I beg you to consider it."

"I _refuse_ to be a glorified babysitter. Who's idea _was_ this?"

"My father's," Thor explained.

"No. He could have _killed_ me. Several times I might add. If you hadn't been there that last time, I wouldn't be standing here in front of you now." Jane crossed her arms. "What makes your father think that I would be the person for this anyway? It makes no sense. We both hate each other; that much is clear. There is nothing that we have in common with one another, and nothing about him that would _remotely_ interest me."

Thor inhaled deeply, trying to pull his thoughts together. "The Allfather believes that you would be best suited for this task because of the change you instilled in me those many months ago. He sincerely believes that you have the heart to take him on, and he earnestly hopes that you will do the same for him as you did for me." He sighed as Jane waited for him to continue. "Loki will not fare well on Asgard for very long; he resents my mother and father; most of all, me. Being imprisoned in his own home would drive him mad—"

"Well, then let it. I don't want to be anywhere near him; he's a threat."

"He would not be a threat. My father has stripped him of his abilities, so he would be as much of a threat as I was when I was banished here." Jane raised an eyebrow.

"Do you not remember the havoc you wreaked at the hospital? Or at the SHIELD base?"

"Well, he would be less of a threat than that. Loki was never a physical person; he preferred intellectual pursuits."

Jane remained silent, unconvinced.

"Jane, if you will not do this for my father, please consider it for a friend. For me. It is much to ask of you, but I know you can do it. I know you can help him as you helped me." He took her hands in his own and gently squeezed them. "Please consider it?"

Jane thought for a few moments. _Well, what's the worst that could happen?_ She inhaled sharply before answering him.

"I'll do it, but only because you asked me to. Promise me one thing though."

"Anything that I can, Jane."

She jabbed a finger at his chest. "You're taking me to see Asgard when this is all over, okay? Remember that."

Thor grinned and kissed her knuckles. "I will."

oOoOo

_A week later_

Jane turned around, cell phone pressed to her ear.

"I don't know, Darcy; I haven't seen him yet." She rolled her eyes at Darcy's constant questions and heated opinions.

"Look, Darcy, no one has told me very much yet. Even Fury doesn't seem to know exactly what's going on. All I know is that Thor really thinks I can change Loki just like I changed him."

Her friend's voice crackled over the speaker as Jane pressed the speakerphone button; Jane carried the phone into the kitchen of her new and temporary apartment given to her by SHIELD and began looking for any tea or coffee she could make.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, I know. I don't really know what made him think that. I know he'll be here tomorrow morning though; Thor's bringing him by." Jane sighed. "I don't know how this is going to work."

"Are you scared?"

"Of course I am; he's tried to kill me more than once and completely resents me. But you know what? I won't let that get to me. This is just another stupid SHIELD assignment as far as I'm concerned. Maybe this way we won't have to worry about him anymore."

"But what about his magic powers? Doesn't he still have those?"

"No. Thor told me that Odin stripped him of everything, so he's pretty harmless."

"Yeah, well, be careful. I don't trust him at all. You shouldn't either."

"Don't worry. I don't trust him." Jane yawned, covering her mouth with her hand. Picking up the phone, she shut off speaker and pressed it to her ear. "Listen, I'm gonna get going. Tomorrow's going to be a long day and I still have to go and talk with Fury about a few things. I'll call you when I can, okay?"

"Sounds good. See ya, Jane."

"Later, Darcy." Jane pressed the end button and stuffed her phone back in her pocket. She looked out the window and sighed; she missed the stars already. She had only been in the city for a day and she already missed home.

A few minutes later, Jane walked out of her temporary apartment with a steaming mug of coffee as she went in search of Fury. After all, her new apartment was only a few floors above SHIELD headquarters. In a matter of minutes, Jane was stepping out of the elevator and heading down the expansive hallway toward Fury's office.

At the door, Jane raised her hand and knocked loudly.

"Come in," came Fury's booming voice.

"Hi Director Fury," Jane greeted as she entered. He turned to face her. He looked exhausted.

"Good evening, Miss Foster. What can I do for you?"

"I just had a few questions, you know, about tomorrow."

"Go ahead."

"Well," she began, "is it just going to be me that sees him? Or other people as well?"

"As far as I know, just you and Thor. Thor and I talked about this earlier and thought it best to allow some time with you at first."

"Does that mean that _I'll_ be the only one working with him, or whatever it is I'm supposed to be doing?"

"For the foreseeable future, yes," Fury answered patiently. Jane bit her lip.

"Okay. So, where is he going to be staying?"

Fury smiled at this. "Miss Foster, you haven't figured it out?"

"Figured _what_ out? I just want to know if I'm going to be relocated anytime soon," Jane said, raising the mug to her lips and taking a large gulp.

"Miss Foster, since Loki _will_ be in your care, he will be staying with you."

Jane choked on her coffee. "_Excuse_ me? What did you just say?"

"You heard me, Jane."

"Nick. Please tell me you're joking."

Fury shook his head. "Wish I was, but seeing as you're in charge of rehabilitation and study, the best way is to room the both of you. Didn't you wonder why we gave you such a large apartment?"

"You can't be serious! Why is it necessary to share the same space with him? Do I need to remind you who I'm _dealing_ with?"

"I understand your concern, but if he's under your constant watch, then there is a better chance for rehabilitation." Jane shot him a look that could have burned a hole in the wall behind him. He held his hands up.

"Look, Miss Foster, Thor suggested it. He felt that it would be best if he became better acquainted with you." He sighed. "Give it a few weeks. If after two weeks it becomes too much, come and find me and we can talk then." Jane glared at him.

"Oh, and one more thing, Miss Foster."

"What?"

"Not a word of this to any of the team." Jane knew he meant the Avengers. "Deal?"

Jane huffed. "Deal." She stood up and walked out of his office without another word.

oOoOo

Jane slammed the door to her apartment. _How could I have been so stupid? Of _course_ they would put Loki close to me._ She sighed in frustration. _No wonder this apartment's so huge. There's a spare bedroom and bathroom._

Setting the mug down on the island in the kitchen, Jane made her way to her room. The floor was scattered with her belongings; she had spent all day unpacking and reorganizing, preparing for her prolonged stay in New York. She stripped out of her day clothes and into a tee; it was way too warm for pajama bottoms. It wasn't too soon after that Jane flopped down on her bed and began to drift to sleep.

_Tomorrow's going to be a long day_.

oOoOo

Jane awoke with a start to a strange noise. She lifted her head and winced; she had fallen asleep on her neck wrong and the pain jabbed at her sharply. The noise came again, and Jane finally decided it was the sound of someone pounding on her door at an ungodly hour of the morning.

Opening her eyes, she noticed it was still very much dark outside. Rather, as dark as New York City could get. Rolling over onto her side, she checked the time: _3:41 AM._ She groaned and swung her legs over the side of the bed, grabbing her robe from off the floor. Jane padded out of her room, lazily tying her belt. The pounding continued.

"I'm coming!" Jane snapped. She reached the door and unlocked it. Her eyes widened: before her stood Thor, Fury, and _him_.

Loki.

oOoOo

The door opened. _Finally_, Loki thought. He was irritated that it had taken this long. What he saw next nearly made him step back.

Jane Foster.

He took her in slowly; she wore a light robe, tied sloppily at the waist. She tried to pull it closer around her when she realized who had summoned her. Jane ran a hand through her chestnut hair. She had the look of sleep about her; from the way she was dressed, he knew she had been rudely awakened. The thought made him smile.

"Uh, come in," Jane said tiredly, stepping back so the three of them could step forward. Fury entered first, followed by Loki and Thor. Loki still wore shackles around his wrists.

Jane flipped a light on, illuminating the entire apartment. Loki studied his surroundings; to the right was an open kitchen area, and to the left was a living space with a hallway that led somewhere else within the space.

His gaze returned to Jane. She rubbed her eyes with the heel of her palms and sighed. So far, she had completely ignored Loki.

"Fury, I thought this was going to happen tomorrow? Not in the middle of the night?"

Thor stepped in before the man called Fury spoke.

"Forgive the intrusion. It was my fault, Jane. I did not account for Midgardian time."

She nodded. "It's okay." Loki's gaze followed her as she walked to the kitchen and took a glass down from a cabinet and filled it with water. "Can I get you guys anything?" Both Thor and Fury shook their heads. Jane's gaze landed on Loki; it was gentler than he would have expected.

"What about you? Water? Tea?" she asked, not unkindly.

"Nothing, thank you."

Jane shrugged and filled the glass from the sink. She took a drink and set it down on the counter. She looked over at Loki once again, eyes falling to the shackles. Something in her seemed to stir because her facial expression became softer.

"He doesn't need those now. He's here," Jane reasoned. Thor stepped forward and freed Loki's wrists.

Loki rubbed his wrists and met Jane's gaze; he did not hold it for long, for her brown eyes shifted from him to Fury.

"I guess I'll take it from here. See you in the morning?"

Fury and Thor nodded, taking their cue to leave. Jane walked them toward the door, but grabbed Thor's wrist before he could leave. She spoke something to him in hushed tones, to which he nodded in reply. Jane gave him a quick smile before shutting the door. She turned to face him.

"Well, I guess this is home? There's the kitchen, the living room," she explained, gesturing to each as she introduced them, "and back through that hallway are the bedrooms. There are two bathrooms, so one for each of us." Jane walked back through the kitchen and picked up her water glass, taking it with her as she continued the rest of the tour. Loki continued to watch her silently as she moved around the apartment.

"Come on, then. I'll show you where you'll be staying." She waved a hand at him, beckoning him to follow. He did so wordlessly.

The both of them reached the hallway and Jane veered off to the left, opening the first door she came to. She flipped a switch, and the room was immediately illuminated. Inside was a small bed along with a dresser and a nightstand. All in all, the room itself was very plain.

Jane muttered something to herself and walked past him back into the hallway. Loki stood in the doorway, watching where Jane went. She had opened a hall closet and seemed to be reaching for something. He stepped closer to investigate, and watched as she struggled to reach a set of bed linens. The image of Jane jumping up and down made Loki snort.

"You know, I could kick you out. I don't have to do this," Jane explained.

"Where would I go then, pray tell?" he asked coolly, crossing his arms over his chest.

"That's not exactly my problem, is it?" Jane quipped in return. She shot him a glance, and the laughter died in his throat. Despite her appearance, Jane's gaze made him shrink back.

With a sigh, Loki uncrossed his arms and walked behind her. Jane froze as he reached up to pull the bed sheets down from the shelf, his hand lightly resting on her waist. He stepped back and handed them to her, and she quickly took them from his grasp. Shutting the hall closet, Jane hurriedly walked back into the spare bedroom and began putting the linens on the bed. Loki leaned against the doorframe and watched Jane.

"So, is it safe to assume you didn't bring any clothes with you?"

"You would be correct."

Jane paused, but continued making the bed. "We'll have to remedy that. I'll see if I can get someone to pick up some things you can wear for the next few days until we can get this all sorted out."

She walked out into the hallway again and reopened the hall closet, quickly pulling out a comforter. Carrying it back down the hallway, Jane moved past Loki once again and spread the blanket over the sheets.

"Well, there you go. Anything else I can get you while I'm here?" Loki shook his head. "Okay. If you need anything, my room is through the door at the end of the hallway. Just knock." Jane stifled a yawn and made her way out of the room.

"Well, I'm going back to sleep. I guess we have a long day tomorrow. Goodnight," Jane said before walking out.

"Good evening, Lady Foster."

That was the last he saw of Jane for the next few hours.


	2. Chapter 2

The morning light seeped through the blinds. Jane squinted and sat up, blinking away her exhaustion. She yawned and stretched her arms above her head, relieving her tense back muscles. She sighed and rubbed her eyes; her sleep had been interrupted by Loki's unexpected arrival, and she didn't sleep very well after she had wished him a good night.

Throwing the sheets back, Jane padded over to the bathroom and brushed her teeth. _What if he's awake? What am I supposed to say to him?_

Jane rinsed her mouth with mouthwash and spat it back in the sink. She inspected herself in the mirror and bit her lip. She looked as good as she had slept. Jane rolled her eyes; _I don't have to look good for him. Not my job._

Jane pulled her hair up and reached for the robe that hung on the back of the bathroom door. She walked out of the bathroom back into her bedroom and checked her phone. She had a few messages from Pepper and Coulson. Scrolling through, she sighed.

_Phil Coulson: Boss wanted me to tell you he's sorry about the timing of last night. He wants me to tell you if you need anything, just call him or visit him in the office._

Jane sighed and began typing out a quick response.

_Thanks, Phil. It is what it is. I'll let you guys know what we need in a bit._

She continued on to the next message.

_Pepper Potts: Hi Jane! Going to have to cancel lunch; Tony is having some trouble with the press back in Malibu and asked me to fly back as soon as possible. Can we reschedule? Sorry!_

Jane bit her lip as her thumbs flew across they keyboard in reply.

_No worries, Pepper. Take all the time you need. Just let me know what time is good for you._

Jane continued to scroll through her messages as she left her room and made her way toward the kitchen. She momentarily set her phone down and filled the coffee machine with grinds. She pulled down two mugs from the overhead cabinet and set them down next to the coffee maker.

As she waited for the coffee to brew, she walked back to her bedroom and returned with the suitcase that contained all her research and work. Jane took out a notebook and pen, carrying them with her back into the kitchen area. She hopped up on the counter and flipped the notebook open to a clean page. She bit the cap off of the pen and began to look over her notes she had made on the plane trip to New York. She pulled one leg up onto the counter, foot resting beneath her right thigh, and let the other leg swing lazily off of the countertop.

"Are you mortals always this informal?"

The sudden voice made Jane jump and nearly drop her notebook. Loki stood behind the couch in the living room, arms folded across his chest. From the way he stood, he still felt superior to her. Jane returned her gaze to her notes, ignoring his remark.

"Good morning to you too."

Jane could feel his eyes on her, but she tried not to acknowledge him. He studied her closely, from her messy ponytail to her bare feet. _Pathetic._

"Quit staring," Jane said without looking up. Loki refused to recognize her wishes. He continued to stare until she looked up. The machine next to her began to beep, and Jane set aside her notebook before hopping down from the counter. She poured coffee in two mugs and replaced the pot.

"Milk and sugar?"

"Excuse me?"

"For your—oh, right," Jane said as she remembered that Asgard did not have coffee. She fixed his coffee they way she did hers and carried it over to him. She held it out for him, but he did not take it.

"At least try it. It won't kill you, I promise."

Loki continued to eye the steaming mug with the mysterious brown liquid before taking it from her hands. It instantly warmed his hands. Jane raised an eyebrow and shook her head, walking back to the kitchen. His eyes drifted back to Jane, who reclaimed her place on the countertop. The notebook returned to her lap, with her coffee mug in one hand and uncapped pen in the other. She continued to scribble notes, not bothering to engage in any conversation.

_Might as well._ Loki raised the mug to his lips and drank some of the liquid. He swallowed it with a grimace; the drink tasted unpleasant. He could not understand how a drink that smelled decent enough to drink tasted so entirely different.

Jane looked up and upon seeing the expression on his face, stopped writing.

"Well, at least you tried it. Is there something else I can get you? Water? Tea?"

"Tea, thank you."

Jane reached in the cabinet behind her and pulled down a small cardboard box, and fished out a packet of tea. She hopped down from the counter and reached for a clean mug. She rummaged around the cabinets for a teapot.

"I could swear I saw it here…" Jane muttered to herself. Loki rolled his eyes.

"Look up, mortal. It sits in front of you," Loki said, his tone a strange mix of irritation and amusement. Jane stood up straight and turned to glare at him, but her eyes landed on the stove. She rolled her eyes and picked up the kettle, filling it with water from the tap. She placed it on the stove and turned the fire on under it, then took her notepad and pen over to the living room and sat on the couch. Loki watched her suspiciously. This time, Jane felt as if she was being scrutinized, and she did not enjoy it.

"Please stop," she asked impatiently without looking up.

"Stop what, Lady Foster?" Loki asked with a smirk.

"Watching me. It's starting to get on my nerves."

"Very well." Silence ensued, and Jane felt relieved when she could no longer feel the burn of his glance on the back of her head.

The kettle began to whistle, making Jane jump mildly. Loki chuckled, and Jane threw down her notebook on the ottoman in front of her as she stood up to make his tea.

"Well, now that you're here, I think there should be some…ground rules."

"Oh?"

"Rule one: don't touch my stuff. It isn't yours, none of it belongs to you, so hands off." When he didn't respond, she continued.

"Rule two: you have almost free reign through the entire apartment, but stay out of my room. There isn't any reason why you should be in there at all. Rule three: no leaving the apartment."

"What?"

"You heard me. No running off. I'm supposed to be keeping an eye on you, and I can't really do that unless you stay here. If you need anything that isn't here, I've already talked with Director Fury and he said he'd be happy to lend us some agents to run errands."

"And what's to stop me from leaving?"

Jane shrugged. "Nothing, really, but I know it wouldn't take very long for SHIELD agents to find you. Even if they can't find you immediately, you stand out; the people you didn't manage to kill will recognize you." She paused to finish preparing his tea before continuing. "I _dare_ you to find a face in this city that wouldn't sooner turn you in to the authorities than make an attempt on your life," she finished venomously. Her gaze was defiant. A malicious grin grew on his pale face.

"Oh, _I _see. This is something personal, is it not, Lady Foster?" She said nothing, so he stepped forward, slowly advancing on her. She pushed the mug across the island counter top toward him, not bothering to hand it to him this time. He ignored the tea and continued to get closer to Jane.

"Stay away from me," she warned.

"Why should I?" he asked. "I've been forced to stay here on this godforsaken realm, and the welcome I get is news that not only am I to be staying in SHIELD custody, but _yours_—"

"You almost _killed_ me! More than once!" Jane shouted, interrupting him. He flinched, and she stepped closer to him, squaring her shoulders. "You think I _wanted_ to have you here? To have to be under the same roof as the same person who not only attempted to kill me, but also attempted to wipe out an entire city filled with _innocent_ people with the intent of ruling whoever was left! _You think I wanted that?_" Loki never broke apart from her gaze; the intensity of hers would not allow it.

"Then why would you do it?"

"Because your brother asked me to."

Loki narrowed his eyes. "Why would you do anything that insufferable idiot would ask of you?"

"Because he's my friend," she answered firmly.

"Your friend? Or your _lover_?" he spat.

"I don't see how that would be any of your business." The tension became almost tangible between the two; Jane had not realized how close she stood to him. They were nearly toe-to-toe, and there was not more than two feet between them.

"So he _is_ your lover! Tell me, does it pain you to know he has moved on to other conquests? To know that the meager three days you spent with my dear _brother_ means nothing to him now?"

_Crack._

Loki reeled back, stunned, his cheek stinging where Jane had hit him.

"Don't you _ever_—" she snarled, "talk about Thor and me that way. I won't stand for it. Do it again, and I will move you from the guest bedroom to a SHIELD cell faster than you can tell a lie. Do you understand?"

Loki stood in front of her, seething. Jane took a step back, but by no means did she step down.

"Look, I've tried my hardest to be friendly to you. I welcomed you here at an ungodly hour of the night, I gave you a comfortable room to sleep in, your own space. I've tried making nice, but it seems I'm not getting through. So, let me make myself clear: I can be nice, or I can make your stay here a living hell. Don't believe me? Ask Director Fury. The minute you stepped through that door, you were under _my_ care, _my_ supervision. He has no control over what I do with you unless I say he does. So consider yourself _lucky_."

Jane scowled at him one last time before storming off to the back room, followed by the sound of a slamming door.

oOoOo

_Jane, you've gone too far this time._

Jane leaned against the wall of the shower, letting the water run over her until it turned cold. Reaching up, she turned the handle until the water flow ceased. Standing slowly, she stepped out of the shower and reached for her towel.

Jane absentmindedly dried off as she replayed the events in the living room in her mind. She could not understand why she had reacted that way; it was not typical of her to lay a hand on anyone, even if it were someone she did not care for.

"Jane, you're an idiot," she mumbled to herself as she dried her hair.

oOoOo

For the majority of the day, Jane didn't see Loki. After their 'argument' that morning, he retreated and did not seek her out. Jane did not mind at all: the less she saw of him, the less risk of argument. She knew that he needed to be "rehabilitated", and arguing was the worst way of working anything out between them.

Although Jane enjoyed the lack of disruption from her guest, she began to worry about him the later the day became. She had knocked on his bedroom door once or twice, but he had not said a word to her. It almost made her feel remorseful for smacking him.

Jane looked up from her research and studied the wall clock. _10:54 PM._ She sighed; he needed to eat or he would starve. One part of her cried out _it doesn't matter what he does, all that matters is your job_, but her reason cried out louder, reminding her that she had made a promise to Thor, and indirectly to Odin.

Standing up from the couch, Jane set her notebooks on the coffee table and padded toward the guest bedroom. Hesitation kept her from knocking, but her voice of reason cried out to her again, and before long, her knuckles met the wood of the door.

"Loki? It's getting pretty late; are you getting hungry yet?"

No response.

Jane tried again. "Loki, are you awake?" Again, no response. The silence began to worry her, and she opened the door. The room was dark, and she stepped inside. She flipped the lights on, only to find Loki gone.

oOoOo

"Pepper, what do I do?"

"Okay Jane, just calm down. He couldn't have gone very far."

"I know," Jane sighed in exasperation, "but I really _don't _want Fury finding out about this. I told him I could handle it. Oh and _please_ don't mention this to Tony either. No one is supposed to know he's here." She ran a hand nervously through her hair.

"Don't worry Jane, I won't say a word." She paused. "Where do you think he would go? What do you know about him?"

Jane searched her mind for something, _anything_, that might help her find him.

"I mean, Thor always told me that he preferred solitude to crowds, so there's one thing." Jane bit her lip. _You should have checked earlier, Jane, _she mentally admonished.

"Well, what if you checked Central Park?"

Jane shook her head, but realized she was on the phone. "No, Pepper. Too many people there. I think he would want to be alone."

A pause. "What makes you think that?"

"Because..." Jane had tried to avoid telling Pepper about their spat that morning, but now she knew she would have to say why; there was no earthly reason why Loki would leave unless something had instigated it. She sighed.

"We got into an argument this morning."

"What? What about?" her friend asked, clearly more concerned. "He didn't try to hurt your or anything, right?"

"No, it was nothing like that. _I _was the one that hurt him. I slapped him."

"Seriously? Why?"

"Because he was saying some really offhanded things. I couldn't take it anymore, so I lashed out."

The other end of the line was silent, making Jane feel even worse.

"Jane, you'll find him. He has no idea where he is going, and Fury said that he was stripped of all magical power before arriving. Put yourself in his shoes. If you were on a foreign planet, what would be the first thing you would look for? I know you hate to hear it, but I think that you and Loki are like-minded; you prefer being alone, and so does he. What sort of familiarity would you look for if you were in an unfamiliar place?"

"Well, that's an easy one. I would look for a body of water or the st-" The realization hit her. From the many stories Thor had told her of his childhood with his brother, he constantly mentioned that Loki loved the stars and the night sky.

"I know where he might be."

"Well, get going, Miss Foster. You have a job to do," Pepper said. Jane could almost hear the smile in her voice.

oOoOo

The harbor carried the stench of fuel and city air.

Jane stepped out of the cab and handed the driver some cash.

"I'll just be a few minutes. Can you wait out here?" The cab driver sighed and nodded reluctantly, and Jane took off running toward the loading docks. She searched between the unloaded crates, eyes earnestly seeking the familiar shadow that often plagued her nightmares.

"Come on, don't be wrong this time, Jane," she muttered to herself. She further away she strayed from the street, the more hopeless she became.

When she reached the docks, Jane stopped running. There he stood, arms hanging limply at his sides with his face upturned toward the night sky. There was something strange about his body language, but Jane could not quite explain what it was. The only thing she knew for certain was that whatever emotion he was feeling, it was something he did not often allow people to witness in him.

Jane stepped forward, and Loki straightened up.

"Have you come to collect me, Lady Foster?" he asked softly.

"If that's what you want to call it, then I guess so."

"You've surprised me, Lady Foster. I was not entirely sure that you would find me."

She stepped closer. "This may be a big city, but there are only a few places that I could think of to find you. This was one of them."

"I wonder how you thought of it," he remarked, seemingly curious. Jane shrugged.

"As much as I may not like to admit it, you and I are pretty similar in some ways. At least," she added, "in the ways that Thor told me about before...everything."

"I see." Jane continued to walk closer, watching him closely, Despite the fact that she found him this time did not mean that she would be able to find him once again.

At one point, Loki flinched at her closeness. Initially, she was inclined to back up and give him some space, but she ultimately decided to stay put.

"I'm sorry for earlier. That was...uncalled for. I never hit anyone, especially out of anger. I didn't mean to hurt you," Jane said mildly. Her apology must have surprised him because he turned around to face her. His expression was unreadable; Jane felt a little uncomfortable as his gaze grew more intense. She looked down at her feet. Loki continued to study her, but did not say a word.

"Why...did you come out here? Why the harbor?"

"There was not a particular reason, Lady Foster."

"You're lying."

A ghost of a smile played on the corners of his mouth. "And you are catching on quickly, Lady Foster."

Jane moved to his side but did not look at him; she crossed her arms in front of her chest and stared out at the glassy obsidian bay.

"Miss home already?"

Loki did not answer. Jane sighed.

"Why did you really come out to the harbor?"

"To find the only thing I can rely on as of late," he replied vaguely.

"Is it safe to assume you're talking about the stars?"

He laughed mirthlessly. "Yes, Lady Foster, but this wretched planet does not seem to have any."

"We have stars," Jane said defensively. "You just can't see them very well in New York. But back in New Mexico, the night sky was so unbelievably clear, you could see stars for miles."

The both of them were silent for the next few moments. Jane checked her watch.

"We need to get back. It's getting late and I have a cab waiting to take us home," she explained tiredly. Loki nodded and looked up at the dark sky one more time before allowing Jane to lead him back.

oOoOo

"You know, I could show you some of the stars that I've studied in the past, if it would help with the homesickness," she offered as they reached the right floor of the building.

"I never said that I was homesick, Lady Foster."

"You didn't have to. I could see it in the way you looked up at the skies tonight." She pulled her key out of her pocket and stuck it in the lock, opening the door to the apartment. She walked in and hung the keys on a hook by the door, and waited until Loki was inside to lock it back up.

"Are you hungry or thirsty?" Loki shook his head.

"Seriously? You haven't eaten anything all day." Jane sighed. "Just because I was angry with you this morning doesn't mean that I can't still be hospitable.""

"If I told you I was hungry, would you cease to ask me?" he asked impatiently. Jane rolled her eyes and nodded.

"Then you have your answer, Lady Foster."

Jane set about putting some soup in a pot, and turned on the heat beneath it. Loki, as usual, watched her every move, making her want to squirm. She fought the urge and instead set about making tea. He continued to watch her closely as he took a seat on the chair next to the couch, and it continued to unnerve her.

"Why do you do that?" she finally asked.

"Do what, Lady Foster?"

"Watch me all the time. I don't get it." Jane took a seat on the edge of the couch, keeping some distance between the two of them.

"I am simply observing you. What is there to understand?"

"I just want to know why you do it. There's nothing _too _unusual about me. I'm just an ordinary human being."

"On the contrary, Lady Foster, you are anything _but_ ordinary. An ordinary human being would not attempt the research that you have attempted, nor would an ordinary human being be involved with the people you do. Most importantly," he added, "an ordinary human being could not bring a god to his knees."

Jane looked away from him and played with her hands. Of course he talked about Thor. About his and Jane's brief romance, if one could even call it that. Loki did not know what had transpired just after Thor returned to Earth; he couldn't have.

"You're talking about Thor?" she asked quietly despite knowing the answer already. Loki confirmed with a slight nod.

"It isn't how you think it is. When he returned, when you...started the invasion with the Chitauri, Thor and I had a conversation about everything that was happening and we decided it wasn't a good idea to try and continue a romantic relationship. He couldn't afford the distraction, and I couldn't pretend I felt something that wasn't there."

Loki nodded slowly, yet his brow furrowed in confusion. "You mean to tell me that as soon as he returned, you no longer wished to be romantically involved with him?"

"Well, yes. There was too much time between when we had last seen each other. We agreed that it would be better if we stayed friends. I love Thor, but not in a romantic sense."

Just as Loki was about to reply, the kettle shrieked, making Jane jump.

"Just a second..." she said as she walked into the kitchen area. When she had finished with the tea, she stirred the soup and served it in two bowls. Putting the food and drinks on a tray, Jane walked back out into the living room and set the tray down on the coffee table. When he did not reach for the mug, she held it out to him and he took it absentmindedly.

"What made you change your mind?"

Jane shrugged. "Like I said, I didn't want to be involved with him that way. I didn't love him as I thought I did. Not really that much to tell about it."

Loki smiled smugly to himself and took a sip of the tea.

"What?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. Loki shook his head.

"Nothing to tell, Lady Foster." He took another sip of the tea and set the mug down on the coffee table. "If I recall correctly," he said, changing the subject, "you wanted to show me charts of the stars?"

Jane, glad for the change in topic, quickly stood up and walked over to a medical bag sitting by the island in the kitchen. Digging through it, Jane pulled out a stack of papers and a small black notebook. She brought them over, and Loki immediately picked up the notebook; he undid the elastic band that held it together and flipped through it, observing the stained and dog-eared pages Jane sat on the floor by his feet as she looked through various photographs. Loki flinched at the closeness, but Jane did not move.

"What is this?" he asked, pointing to a complicated-looking formula that filled up an entire page.

"Oh; that's one of the theorems I came up with a while ago when I was trying to explain a possible Einstein Rosenbridge," she explained. "That was back when I found your brother after he landed in New Mexico via the Bifrost."

"Thor is not my brother," Loki replied bitterly. Jane looked up and met his gaze, seeing nothing but resentment in his glassy eyes.

"What makes you say that? He loves you, you know."

"No. He loves the idea of having yet another person he can be superior to. I was nothing to him. Nothing but the shadow that trailed his every step."

"That's not how I remember him telling it. Thor always spoke highly of you. He loves you, and you're his family," Jane said adamantly.

_Stubborn woman_, Loki thought to himself with a scowl.

"You are insufferable. You have no idea what it was like; do not pretend as if you do. I have no family."

"If family isn't having people who always love you and have your best interest at heart, then I don't know what is."

"Best interest? My _father_ only saw me as a piece in his political games. He did not have my best interest at heart. My mother stood by idly as he spun lies, as he kept the truth from me to benefit himself."

"If Odin didn't care about you, he wouldn't have sent Thor back to get you, to bring you back home," Jane reasoned as she flipped through glossy pictures of star clusters.

"I don't have a home. Odin only wanted me back so that I could face punishment for what I had done," he scoffed. Jane turned around, disbelief in her eyes.

"Why do you keep insisting that you don't have a family? That you don't have a home?" She shook her head. "No, you don't know what it's like not to have a family. You _think_ you don't have a family or home because you're too blinded by your own jaded perspective of your childhood. No; _I _don't have a family. The closest thing I have to family is Erik Selvig; remember him? The scientist you brainwashed?"

Loki said nothing.

"When I heard you had taken him prisoner, I was terrified. I had never had panic attacks that bad since my parents died." Jane smiled ruefully. She looked up, but did not quite meet his eyes. "I guess I should thank you for not killing him. He's all I have left."

In that moment, Loki felt something wholly unfamiliar stir in his chest. The way that Jane was looking at him made him feel uncomfortable; he could not quite describe the tightness in his ribcage. He furrowed his brow as he recalled the sentiment that had not plagued him since he was a child: guilt.

Jane turned from him and resumed flipping through the images. It was silent as she spread them out across the floor and the coffee table. Selecting a few that she had sorted, Jane handed them to Loki.

"This is Ursa Minor here, and this is…"

oOoOo

An hour passed, then two, as Jane explained various constellations and clusters of Midgardian stars she had been studying. He listened patiently as she pointed out how each star cluster had relevance to what she was researching, and he asked her an occasional question, not wanting to seem disinterested. Truthfully, he was very interested in what she had to say; if her theory worked, then Loki would have a way to return to Asgard, and possibly other realms.

Jane finally stopped talking about the pictures in front of her when it became difficult for her to speak coherent thoughts; so instead, she turned his attention to the little black book that sat on his lap. Loki could see she was tired; she had to think harder to form sentences about her research.

"Lady Foster, you should rest," he suggested drily as she yawned. She shook her head as she watched him continued reading the pages, completely absorbed in her work. His eyes moved from the equations on the page to his host's face.

"I'm fine. It's nice to have someone as interested in my research as me," she explained sleepily, her head resting on her fist. His gaze lingered as she diligently waited for him return to the notebook in his hands. He reluctantly returned his attention to the notebook, and soon enough, he was lost in the equations and theorems that were scribbled on every page. He could not feign the interest he had in her work; it was amazing to him that a mortal could achieve such an in-depth understanding of information and knowledge of this caliber.

Loki had only moved to the next page when he felt a sudden weight on his thigh. His brow furrowed as he slowly lowered the notebook; Jane's head had slipped from where it balanced on her fist and now gently rested on his leg.

Shutting the notebook and setting it on the table, Loki moved so that her head no longer rested on his thigh but on the chair. Once he was clear of her, he stood up quietly and observed her. She slept soundly, clearly not bothered by the movement. He debated whether or not to leave her there, and strangely enough, kindness overpowered the indifference he had toward her. He knelt down in front of her and carefully lifted her into his arms. Surprisingly, she did not stir; she remained deeply asleep as he walked back toward the bedrooms.

As he approached her bedroom, he whispered a small incantation and the door opened. He pushed past it and gingerly placed Jane on her bed. He pulled the sheets over her as an afterthought before leaving the room and heading toward his own.

As he lay down to sleep, his mind returned to what she had said earlier:

"_I guess I should thank you. He's all I have left."_

Loki turned on his side as he wrestled with the guilt that Jane had elicited with such a simple statement.

He sighed in frustration and conceded that he would receive no amount of sleep.

* * *

**A/N: Heh. Hey guys. Sorry i haven't updated in a long time. I hadn't quite finished this one before I left for my choir trip, so I worked on it while I was on the plane. I just got back two days ago, and I wanted to make sure it was good enough to publish. Thank you guys for being so patient; I will definitely not take this long to update unless I have a very good reason :] I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope you review! ^^**


	3. Chapter 3

_Three months later_

"Give those back!" Jane demanded as Loki snatched the glossy photographs out of her hand.

"Are these new?"

Jane huffed. "Yes they are, and I need them for my research. Give 'em back."

She reached for the pictures, but Loki held them just out of her reach as he pretended to study them. He didn't have to hold them very high; Jane was nearly two feet shorter than he was. She hopped up to try and grab them back, but he only raised them higher above her head.

"Patience, Lady Foster," Loki said, amused.

"No. Give me back my stuff. Or else."

"Or else what?" he asked, laughter in his bright green eyes.

She narrowed her eyes. "Or else I'll never let you see my research again."

He shrugged. "I will look at it when you've fallen asleep on top of it."

"Then I'll make sure I'll take it in my room."

"You say that as if I could not take it from there."

Jane tried again for the photos, but Loki continued to hold them just out of her reach.

"You know the rules. My room is off-limits, remember?"

Loki rolled his eyes. "Of course it is."

Jane stood on her toes and used Loki as leverage as she reached up once more. This time, she was able to snatch the pictures away from him. She quickly made her way to the armchair in the living room and glared at him as she tucked her legs beneath her.

"Do it again, and I'll have you locked up."

"Have a little fun, Lady Foster," Loki said with a smirk.

"It's Jane. We aren't on Asgard," she replied as she looked over the photographs in her hands. "And besides," she said slowly, "it isn't possible to have fun around you."

"Is that so?"

"It's more work than play, to be honest."

"You wound me, Lady Foster," he said mockingly.

"Jane," she corrected.

"I refuse to call you that," he declared simply.

"Then I refuse to take part in your games," she quipped. Loki smiled. She was quick-witted, and he enjoyed their banter. Never had he come across a woman such as Jane before; he'd never come across anyone so willing to challenge his every statement, and return his witticisms so easily.

After the first argument that led Loki to leave, he had attempted to escape several times, after which Jane always found him. Despite his continued efforts, Jane became less and less worried about where he went and more concerned about how late she would return after locating him. Every attempt at an argument with Jane not only resulted in her proving him wrong, but telling him exactly why he was wrong. It infuriated him; her _stubbornness _infuriated him, but he always came back around. Loki had eventually decided it would be better to stop fighting Jane and befriend her. She was surprisingly receptive to his idea, and an unlikely friendship began to form.

"Quit staring." Her sudden command brought him back to reality.

"Why should I? You're such an interesting subject to observe, and it clearly bothers you," he said, his tone hinting at playfulness.

"I'm a person, not a test subject, and if it bothers me, you should take a hint," she said flatly. She may have seemed irritated on the surface, but Loki didn't miss the small smile that tugged at the corner of her lips.

"What is the fun in that?"

Jane rolled her eyes. "Go make yourself useful and hand me my messenger bag. It's on the floor by the kitchen."

"What do I get in return?" he asked, sidling up to her, arms crossed. Jane didn't bother to look up.

"Nothing but the assurance of a job well done."

"Oh come now, you can think of something better than that," he said, stepping closer to her. Jane sighed and lowered the photos.

"Fine. You can look over some of my research for the Foster Theory. Happy?"

Loki may have been able to hide his smile, but Jane saw the victorious satisfaction gleaming in his eyes before he turned away. Jane returned to studying the pictures of strange constellations laid out before her, and Loki returned, unceremoniously dropping her bag at her feet. She reached into her bag and rummaged around for a silver permanent marker. Upon finding it, she bit the cap off and began circling various star clusters. Loki wandered behind her and watched from over her shoulder.

"Yes?"

"Do you know these constellations, Jane?" he asked, voice now devoid of humor.

Jane raised her eyebrow. "No; these are completely new to me. Why?"

He paused as his brow drew together. "How did you come by these?"

"I…the lab techs I've been working with said our telescopes picked these up a few days ago," she replied, a little flustered. "What's wrong?"

"Jane, these are Asgardian constellations."

"Excuse me?" she asked, bewildered. "I'm not sure I heard you right."

Loki nodded. "You did. I would recognize these constellations anywhere," he continued softly. Jane paused; he truly missed home, and it tugged at her heartstrings to know that the images in her hand held the only semblance of home for him.

Before she could dwell on it for much longer, an idea hit her. She looked up at the wall clock: _10:34 PM_.

_That's not _too _late_, she thought to herself as she chewed her bottom lip in thought.

"Loki, I have to call a colleague of mine; I need him to meet me up here in a little while. As per Fury's request—"

"I remain out of sight." He nodded. "I understand." With one last longing look at the pictures on Jane's lap, Loki retreated to his bedroom.

Pulling her phone out of her bag, Jane dialed her colleague's number. The phone rang a few times before he picked up.

"Hi! How are you?" Pause. She smiled. "I'm doing well, thanks. Listen, I know it's late, but I need a _really _big favor…"

oOoOo

A knock sounded at the front door, and Loki quietly stepped out into the hallway. He listened carefully as Jane interacted with him.

"Hi Jeff! Thank you so much for doing this on such short notice. You're the best," she greeted. Loki could hear the smile in her voice.

"Hey, it's no problem, Jane." Loki furrowed his brow. He sounded young; younger than Loki had pictured him. From the way her colleague Jeff spoke with her, he admired her very much. Too much for Loki's liking. He shook his head at the thought.

_You should not be envious. She does not belong to you. Why are you envious?_

"Would it be alright if I asked what you needed these so soon for?" Jeff asked lightly.

"I just wanted some extra copies just in case I misplaced the other ones that you gave me today. Is there anything I can get you? Water?"

"Nah. It was good enough just to see you twice in one day," he said with a laugh.

Loki frowned. _Enough of this. What has become of you? Jane Foster is of no consequence to you._

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I should be heading home."

Loki ventured a glance in their direction, careful not to be seen. Jeff was a little taller than Jane with dirty blonde hair and defined facial features. He wore glasses and dressed smartly, and from where Loki stood, there was a glimmer in his eyes with a hunger for knowledge that matched Jane's. All in all, Jeff was attractive, but Jane did not seem to notice.

"Alright then. Drive safe, Jeff," Jane said kindly.

"I will. I'll see you tomorrow, Jane," he said with a lopsided smile. He leaned in a planted a quick peck on Jane's cheek before walking out the door.

Loki waited a few beats before stepping out of his hiding place.

"Who was that?" he asked, trying his best to be indifferent. The sound of his voice made Jane jump. She whirled around to face him; he was surprisingly close.

"He's a friend; Jeff works in the labs with me," she explained. "Why?"

He shook his head. "What was he here for?"

"I asked him to do something for me." Jane narrowed her eyes. "Why all the questions? What business is it of yours?"

Loki had nothing else to say, knowing that Jane was right. What she did was none of his concern. He turned away, but Jane stopped him, placing a gentle hand on his arm.

"Hey, I didn't mean it that way." She sighed. "I just don't like being asked a lot of questions like that. I feel like I'm under attack."

Loki paused to listen to her, but said nothing.

"Jeff was up here because I thought you might like these," she continued. "These are yours to keep. I mean, you don't _have_ to keep them, I just thought—"

"Thank you, Jane," Loki said softly. She hadn't realized he had taken the copies of the photos from her hands. He studied them and met her gaze. "I should apologize. I should not have asked you those things. It won't happen again," he promised, regarding her with a nod. Jane gave him a quick smile.

"No problem." She shifted her gaze from his emerald eyes to the clock on the wall. _11:30 PM._ As if on cue, Jane yawned, covering her mouth with the back of her hand.

"I have to get some sleep. Tomorrow's gonna be a long day." She paused. "You should get some rest too." Loki nodded, and Jane made her way past him, but not before giving his arm a gentle squeeze.

"Sleep well."

oOoOo

"_Why do you hide him, mortal?"_

_She whipped around, but was met with nothing but darkness._

"_Who are you? What are you talking about?"_

"_Do not play games with me, human," the deep voice snapped. "I know you hide him. The lost prince."_

"_Show yourself."_

_The deep voice let out a rumble of laughter. "I think not, mortal. Tell me where the lost prince is, or everything you love will die."_

oOoOo

Loki sat on the couch the next morning, flipping through Jane's notes. He continued to peek at the clock. The later it grew, the more concerned he became; Jane was always awake by now. This was so..._unlike_ her. He sighed impatiently. _Why should you care?_

He flipped to the next page and began studying the formulas when he heard her bedroom door open. He did not look up, but he heard her sluggish steps as she emerged from her room. When she stepped out of the hallway and into the living room, Loki snuck a glance at her. He was stunned; of the three months that he had been imprisoned, he had never seen Jane look so tired and so shaky.

"Jane?"

She visibly jumped and turned slowly to face him, and let out a small sigh when she saw it was only him. He furrowed his brow at her appearance: her hair was haphazardly pulled up, and her eyes bore dark circles beneath them. Her general appearance was disheveled.

"Jane, are you well?"

She nodded slowly and continued toward the kitchen. Loki stood up and followed her, clutching her notes in his hand. He lifted himself onto a barstool and sat at the counter, setting her notes on the countertop for her to see. Strangely enough, Jane did not react to her notes having been in his possession. She only gathered them and stuffed them into her messenger bag before leaving without another word.

oOoOo

This odd behavior continued for the next few weeks. Loki would always ask the same question, and Jane would always respond in the same fashion. She would always leave without saying anything, and return very late at night. Jane always seemed tired but never slept. Loki would return to his room in the evening and the next morning he would find Jane in the same spot on the couch where he had left her.

Whenever Loki pressed her about it, Jane only shook her head and moved on to the next subject. The more he inquired about it, the less Jane spoke. It both unnerved and infuriated him. The woman was _stubborn_.

oOoOo

It was evening, and Loki sat where he normally did on the couch when he awaited Jane's arrival from the labs, legs stretched out across the cushions and back against the armrest. A collection of Shakespearian sonnets he had found sat open on his lap; his gaze, no longer traveling the pages of the book, had fixed on the front door, willing it to open as the hour grew later and later. Loki brought his hand up to his mouth and absentmindedly bit the nail of his thumb. His eyes flitted nervously back and forth between the door and the wall clock.

_What has made you so soft, Loki Laufeyson?_

He pushed the voice in his head away, but it continued to push him.

_She is a mortal woman, and you are the God of Mischief. How can you have let yourself fall so far?_

Loki bit his lip and tried once again to push the thought away, but his inner voice was relentless.

_She does not love you. She is only here to do a job, to repay a favor. Bah, you only claim you feel anything toward her because you have been trapped by her. You have trapped yourself._

Loki grimaced as the voice in his mind continued.

_Are you to become your brother now? Are you to become pathetic and weak? What does Jane Foster have that makes her special?_

"She has heart," he murmured quietly.

His mind quieted itself, as if satisfied with his answer. Everything around him seemed to stand still. His eyelids began to droop, but he refused to close them completely, fearful that his thoughts would conjure worst-case scenarios.

Just as Loki was about to give up on the waiting game, the front door clicked open. Setting the book on the table, he watched carefully as Jane walked through the threshold and toward the kitchen sluggishly. She looked more gaunt than the last time he'd seen her; the dark circles under her eyes were more pronounced, and the pallor of her skin was dangerously close to his own.

"How was your day?"

Jane shrugged and dropped her messenger bag on the floor by the kitchen, and proceeded to reach into the cabinet for a glass.

"Do not brush me off like that, Jane," he warned.

"I'm fine. My day was fine," she amended.

Loki watched her every movement carefully. Everything she did was slow and deliberate, as if she'd had the life force sucked right out of her.

Jane raised the glass to her lips and drank. She pulled the glass away from her lips, but she lost her grip and the glass dropped from her hands and shattered on the floor.

"Damn it!" she cried out in frustration, pounding a fist on the counter top. Loki jumped to his feet to help her clean up the mess. He knelt down and began picking the pieces up.

"Jane, tell me what is going on," he demanded, pouring the bits of glass into the trash bin beneath the sink. "Something is not right."

"Nothing is going on," she replied tiredly. He rose and stood at his full height, capturing her eyes with his. The light in her eyes had dimmed.

"Don't lie to me."

The coldness in his tone forced Jane to narrow his eyes.

"Don't talk to me like that."

"You've given me no other choice, Lady Foster."

"Don't _call_ me that!" she snapped in frustration. Her gaze momentarily lost focus.

"Tell me what is going on!"

"_Nothing is going on, Loki_!" she shouted. He flinched, and Jane turned on her heel, and made her way to the back hallway. Loki watched her as her gait slowed, and she stumbled toward the wall for support.

"Jane—"

Without warning, Jane collapsed to the floor.

* * *

**A/N: Hi all! Long time no see! Eek. I apologize. Nevertheless, I hope you liked this chapter! I hope to see your reviews; I love receiving them! **


	4. Chapter 4

Loki moved out of sheer panic and slid to his knees when he reached her.

"Jane!" he cried out. Unsure of what to do, he grasped her hand and checked her pulse. Her faint heartbeat fluttered against his fingertips, and he breathed a sigh of relief. His relief, however, was short-lived when Jane began to cough uncontrollably, seemingly unable to breathe. Gingerly, Loki lifted Jane into his arms and left the apartment.

He looked down the corridor and approached the elevator and pressed the key. He impatiently tapped his foot as he waited for it. The coughing had died down somewhat, but would return in spurts.

"Hold on, Jane," he whispered. He willed the door to open, and soon, the silver doors slid back. Loki quickly stepped back into the elevator and moved to press the ground level button, but he knew that wasn't where SHIELD was, and he knew it wasn't where Jane needed to be. He studied the metal panel carefully, looking for any sort of hidden key or button. Loki's eyes landed on a strange object. He tapped it, and a small electronic pad appeared from behind a larger panel. He would have smiled at the clever trickery, but he had a larger issue to solve.

Loki looked at the electronic panel, and it hummed quietly. A set of blue letters blinked on the screen.

_Please place thumb over scanner._

Loki reached for Jane's limp hand and pressed her thumb to the pad. The pad slid back into the panel, and the entire panel shifted before his eyes. Instead of the normal elevator button, a set of glowing blue buttons formed two neat columns in front of him. Each was labeled, and he eventually made up his mind and pressed the first floor. The elevator dropped steadily beneath him and within a few moments, the doors reopened to reveal a bustling underground labyrinth.

Loki immediately stepped out and stood, at a loss for where to go.

"Mr. Laufeyson, there had better be a _very_ good reason that you are down in my headquarters," came a steely voice. Loki turned around to face Director Fury, hands clasped behind his back and a dangerous look in his eye.

His gaze moved from Loki to Jane.

"What happened?"

"She collapsed after coming back from the labs. I—I don't know what happened."

"Follow me." Fury set off quickly, and Loki followed. Fury unclipped a black device from his waistband and spoke into it rapidly.

"Emergency response care team, meet me in the hospital ward in no more than sixty seconds."

The device crackled. "Copy."

"Mind telling me what happened?" Fury asked.

"Jane had just returned from being in the labs and she walked into the kitchen. I noticed that she hadn't been looking well." Loki shook his head. "You haven't been working with her?"

"Not closely, no. Why is that relevant?"

"I was only going to ask why you had not noticed."

"Noticed what?"

"Her change in behavior and appearance. She has been this way for weeks," Loki continued as they walked through the hospital ward. He was instructed to set her down on a bed, and the medical team immediately began working on her. Loki's gaze never moved from her.

"She hardly eats or sleeps, and says nothing. I've asked her countless times about it, but she refuses to answer me truthfully." Loki became irritated. "How has no one said anything to you?"

"Excuse me?"

"She is not the only one that works in the lab, am I correct?" he asked impatiently.

Fury nodded. Loki set his jaw.

"Should you not always be informed about the well-being of any member of your team, _especially_ your lead scientist?" He sighed in frustration, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Appalling."

"If I'm not mistaken, it sounds like you don't like the way I run this operation," Fury said coldly. Loki met his stony gaze.

"No, I do not. Especially if it involves careless and lazy agents that do nothing to prevent things like this from happening," Loki growled.

Fury's cell phone rang out, and he picked it up. Loki did not bother to listen to the conversation; he focused on Jane.

"I have to leave. Don't go anywhere, Laufeyson." Loki didn't respond; he sat down in the nearest chair.

Fury pulled aside the nearest agent.

"Keep an eye on him. Make sure he doesn't leave."

oOoOo

A few hours later, Loki heard a soft voice rouse him from his sleep. His eyes opened slowly, and he was met with a confused Jane sitting up in a hospital bed.

"Good, you're awake," he breathed. Jane lifted an eyebrow at the remark.

"Why am I in here?"

"Because you blacked out in the apartment shortly after returning home."

"What?" Jane asked in disbelief.

Loki nodded. "I asked you what was going on, and you refused to tell me; after a rather heated exchange, you left to go to your room when you fainted just before entering the hallway."

Jane mouth dropped open slightly. "Really?" she whispered. Loki nodded again and stood up, moving to Jane's bedside.

"Jane, I think you need to tell me what's been going on. Do not bother saying it is nothing, because clearly nothing is not what led me to bring you here," Loki said firmly, arms crossed. Jane's gaze dropped to her hands in her lap, feeling very much like a child who had just been caught taking a cookie from the cookie jar.

"Come now, what has been distressing you?" Loki pushed, voice gentler this time. A nurse walked in, but Loki turned around and glared, forcing her to freeze and leave quickly. He turned his attentions back to Jane, eyes softening.

"I've been having…nightmares," Jane explained.

"I assume they are recurring?"

Jane nodded. "Every night." Loki pressed his lips together and tilted his head to the side.

"Jane, why did you not tell me? Do you know how worried you've made me? Not to mention how concerned Fury is?" Jane paled at the mention of the Director's name.

"Oh, no…"

Loki smiled ruefully. "If I had not been carrying you, I would have been incarcerated on the spot. It was a miracle I even found this blasted place."

Jane smiled. "Good job." Loki smiled and sat on the edge of the bed beside her.

With a heavy heart, Loki returned to the subject at hand.

"Jane, I know there is something you aren't telling me. These aren't just ordinary nightmares, are they?"

Jane shook her head as she returned to playing with her hands. She picked at the monitor clipped to her forefinger, and Loki pulled her hands apart.

"Tell me," he coaxed gently.

"Someone's been asking about you, in my dream," she began.

"Go on."

"He calls you the Lost Prince. He…he tells me that if I do not give you up, he will take away everything I love."

Loki's eyes flickered. "Do you know who he is?"

Jane nodded solemnly. "He had a strange name: Thanos."

Loki blanched, all colour leaving his already pale face.

"H-he said that you owe him a great debt," she explained shakily, the flashes of her nightmares beginning to surface. Her eyes began to flicker, and fear overtook Loki once again.

"Jane, focus on me. Look at me," he pleaded. He took her face in his hands. "Jane, what have you told him?"

"I've told him nothing," she whispered. "That's why he keeps coming back." Her eyes grew wide as the images in her mind became more pronounced. Her hands grasped Loki's and held them tightly. He felt a tightness grip his heart: Loki had never seen her reduced to this kind of fear. It was raw and primal, something that he understood very well.

"Jane, listen to me: everything will be okay. He _can't_ hurt you. He is goading you for information, but he will not lay a finger on you, or the people you love, understand?" he said urgently as Jane squeezed her eyes shut. She gripped his hands even harder, willing the images to disappear. She gritted her teeth.

"H-he won't leave me alone, Loki," she said, her voice cracking. Loki sat in front of her helplessly. He felt utterly useless as Jane fought a battle in her mind; he could not come to her aid, not without magic. A hot tear rolled down her cheek, and her breathing began to quicken. Her body trembled, hands quaking.

"Jane, do not let him in; that's how he's holding you. _Keep_ him at bay; force him out of your thoughts," he instructed, forcing her to look at him.

"But I _can't_, Loki!" she choked out.

"Yes, you can. It's _your_ mind. Force him out. Now."

Jane hesitated, but nodded slowly. Her eyes shut once again and she bit her lip. Loki stroked her temples with his thumbs. His eyes flitted over her face as he waited for her to push Thanos away.

Jane's breathing slowed, and she visibly relaxed. Her tight grip on Loki's hands loosened, and her hands fell to her lap.

"He's gone. For now," she whispered solemnly. Her upper body began to sway, and Loki gently pushed her back onto the pillows.

_So this is why she is so exhausted. Oh Jane…_

Loki stood slowly, and Jane's eyes grew wide.

"Please don't leave," she pleaded. "What if he comes back?"

"Jane, you need rest," Loki reasoned gently.

She shook her head, looking close to tears. "I can't sleep. If I do, he's right there."

He studied her carefully; the look in her brown eyes was so innocent, so childlike; the fragility behind her words pulled at him. Unable to deny her like this, he acquiesced. Pulling the chair from the corner of the room, Loki dragged it to Jane's bedside. He leaned back and let out a sigh. Crossing his leg over his knee, he rested his arm just over it. Almost impulsively, Jane reached out and grasped his hand. Loki eyed her, but she only stared tiredly at the bed sheets.

Loki waited until Jane slept soundly before getting up and leaving. He stood in the doorway and checked on her one last time before turning to the agent he knew would be standing just outside.

"I need to speak with Director Fury immediately."

oOoOo

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" Fury asked drily as Loki stood before him in his office. "I assume this either has something to do Jane's progress or the way I'm running this operation."

"It has to do with Jane, and I apologize for my remark earlier. It was simply out of frustration," Loki said before continuing. "There are larger forces at play than just Jane not taking care of herself."

"What kind of forces are we talking about?"

"Powerful. Destructive. And it isn't a what, it's a who. His name is Thanos. Before I came to Earth, I was dropped in the veritable wasteland he calls home. I struck a bargain with him, and did not fulfill my promise, as evidence by my being here with Jane Foster. He wishes to collect."

"You seem to be good at making enemies, Loki. Do you know what he wants to collect? What did you promise him?"

"I promised him Earth, but since I could not quite deliver, I assume he wants me dead."

Fury lazily raised an eyebrow. "What do you think we should do about it?"

"I do not know. Without magic, I cannot locate him, and Jane is afraid to speak of him." He pressed his lips together. "I have to contact the Allfather, or Thor. There is more that they might be able to do than me, or any of your special forces."

"You sure about that? We seemed to do pretty well on our own against you and your army."

"Please trust me, Director. To confront Thanos would be unwise. His strength is unmatched, and so is his intelligence. His abilities make him one of my most powerful adversaries. An encounter with him would surely result in utter destruction."

oOoOo

"My Prince, Heimdall has requested an audience with you."

Thor turned from Sif and the Warriors Three to face the palace guard.

"Thank you. I shall meet with him immediately."

oOoOo

"You requested to see me, Heimdall?"

"Yes, my Prince. I have kept watch over Loki and Jane on Midgard, and something troubling has transpired. Loki called to me, and I listened."

Thor's heart dropped. "What is it?"

"Jane has had quite a few alarming nightmares, nightly visits from a powerful being. We must speak with the Allfather immediately."

oOoOo

"Thanos," Odin said, resigned. He pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Thanos? The Mad Titan?" Thor asked, puzzled. "I believed him to be a myth, a legend. Surely he cannot be the one plaguing Jane's mind?"

Odin nodded. "The very one. The stories I told you as a boy were all true. Thanos is an Eternal Mutant, the only one of his kind. He made a pact with Loki before the attack on Midgard, and Loki could not give what he promised after you defeated him and the Chitauri. I suspect he wishes to collect your brother as payment."

"Thanos must be stopped," Thor declared furiously. Odin nodded in agreement.

"I grant you leave to return to Midgard to speak with your brother and Jane. You must see to it that you gain as much information about Thanos as you can, root out his plans. Your brother will undoubtedly be of help to you."

Thor nodded. "I will go."

oOoOo

A knock sounded at Fury's office door. Both Loki and Fury faced the door, halting their conversation.

"Come in." Agent Maria Hill stood in the doorway, eyeing Loki warily before stating her purpose.

"Sir," she began, "The Asgardian is back."

Loki's eyes widened. _Thor._

Agent Hill stepped back, and Thor strode into the office.

"There is something that we need to discuss immediately, Fury," Thor said, his tone utterly serious.

"If I'm right, it has something to do with Thanos," he replied. Thor paused, taken aback. His gaze fell on Loki, who watched the exchange between the two of them.

"Correct. But first, I need to speak with Loki and Jane alone."

"You will have to wait," Loki said calmly. "Jane needs her rest. In the meantime, I will explain what I can."

oOoOo

Once Thor was brought up to speed, Fury looked between the two of them.

"Once Miss Foster is awake, you will need to discuss the details with her. Until we have some sort of plan to combat this threat, there is nothing much we can do." Thor and Loki nodded, and Loki led the way out of Fury's office and toward Jane's hospital room.

Loki turned and faced Thor, stopping him in his tracks.

"Thor, before you see Jane, I must warn you: you must take care with her. She is…fragile. She will look different that you've ever seen her. Be gentle with her," Loki instructed. Thor looked upon his brother, confused, but nodded anyway. Something had changed, but he could not decipher what it was. Instead of asking, Thor simply followed Loki as he picked up pace again.

Nothing could have prepared Thor for what he saw when he entered the hospital room. At first, Jane appeared normal, but upon closer inspection, everything about her seemed darker. It was as if something surrounded Jane's entire being, engulfing her wholly.

"What has done this to her, brother?" he asked.

"Thanos," Loki replied softly. His change in countenance did not go unnoticed; Thor watched as his brother stood at the edge of Jane's bed, lost in thought. When Jane stirred, her eyes opening, he noticed Loki's body relax.

"Feeling a little better?" he asked. Jane nodded, stretching.

"Getting there—Thor!" she exclaimed. "When did you get here?"

Thor smiled. "Only a little while ago. Heimdall told me something had been troubling your mind, and I came to see how you fared."

Jane grinned. "I've been better. Thanks for checking in on me though."

Loki felt a pang of jealousy as he watched their exchange. They conversed easily as though they had been old friends. He wished he could speak with her that easily.

_What right did Thor have?_

He shook his head. _Not this again. Leave it be._

Thor seemed to put her at ease, while he only seemed to poke and prod her.

_What do I do?_

oOoOo

After a lengthy conversation with Jane, Thor explained he had to return to Asgard to consult with the Allfather. With all the information Loki had given, Thor felt he had sufficient knowledge of the creature from the stories told during his childhood. He wished the two of them well, and promised to return as soon as he could.

A week after Thor's departure, Jane requested that she return to her apartment. She told Fury that she was feeling better, but explained to Loki in confidence that she hated being treated like a science experiment.

Fury conceded, and both Jane and Loki returned to the apartment. After a few days, Jane seemed to be returning to her former self, but only just. A cloud still lingered over her.

Loki did not allow her to leave for the labs; at first, Jane protested, but reason won out and she gave in. Other than that, Loki kept his distance: for the most part, anyway. The days passed by as usual, but the night terrors still came. Just as Loki was there in the hospital room, he was there whenever the nightmare struck to quell her fear. His sleeping pattern even changed to fit the episodes: he slept a good portion of the day, but was awake during the night. He stayed in the living room, prepared for it all. Sometimes, the nightmares would occur more than once, while other times they never made an appearance. For those nights, Loki was particularly grateful: it meant that Jane was slowly fighting back.

oOoOo

The sun fell, and the lights of New York City outshone the distant stars. Despite the destruction he caused and the wreckage left behind, Loki was impressed to see the resilience of the human race. The thought brought a smile to his face.

On his lap lay Jane's research: since he had forbidden Jane to return to the labs until Thanos was gone from her mind completely, Jane had made him promise that he would look over her notes and theorems and tell her if she was headed in the right direction.

Loki studied the notes carefully, pen in his hand and cap in his mouth. He hadn't realized it, but he was slowly picking up Jane's habits and making them his own. He drummed the back of the pen on his knee, furrowing his brow. _That's not ri—_

The strangled cry startled him, breaking his concentration. He stood, setting the notes on the coffee table, and quickly walked to the back bedroom. Opening the door, Loki stepped inside and walked around to Jane's bedside, switching on the lamp.

"Jane?" he said, kneeling on the wood flooring beside the bed frame.

"Leave me alone," she murmured, eyes moving furiously behind her eyelids. Loki laid a cool hand on her forehead, and her eyes shot open. She was panting, and a thin sheen of sweat covered her body.

"Loki," she breathed. He made his breathing more pronounced, just as he always did after a nightmare, so Jane could catch on to the slow pattern. She nodded, pressing his cool hand to her warm cheek.

"You're fine. Everything's fine," he assured her gently. He stood slowly and reached for the empty glass on the nightstand. Taking it to the bathroom, he filled it and returned to Jane, forcing her to drink. She sat up without a word and gulped the water down. He sat there and watched her, making sure that she drank until the glass was empty. He refilled it once more and set it back down on the nightstand.

This had become their ritual.

"Take a deep breath, Jane," Loki instructed. "Lie back down and try to get some more sleep. I'll be right outside if you need me."

Loki stood once again and made his way out, but he didn't make it very far: Jane hastily grabbed his hand and held it tightly, stopping him in his tracks.

"Don't go," she pleaded quietly.

"Where else would you have me?"

"Please stay. Just tonight."

It pained Loki to see Jane, one of the most strong-willed women he knew, reduced to pleading for company to keep the monster away. His shoulders fell, and he turned to sit on the floor, leaning against the nightstand.

"You don't have to sit there. Come on," she said, scooting over. Loki eyed her warily before standing up. He pulled the blankets around Jane before sitting on top of them beside her. Crossing his ankles, he folded his hands in his lap. He leaned back against the headboard, eyes still watching Jane. She lay down again and sighed.

"Thank you. For staying."

He nodded. "Of course," he whispered.

Within a few moments, Jane's eyelids dropped and she fell into slumber once again. The sight of her sleeping stirred the drowsiness he hadn't known he was feeling. Loki leaned his head back against the wall and before too long, exhaustion betrayed him and he succumbed to the sweetness of sleep.

This was definitely not their ritual.

* * *

**A/N: I was able to write this chapter quite easily, so sooner update! Hope you all liked it; please review!**


	5. Chapter 5

Jane awoke, her head throbbing. She sat up with a grimace and pressed her palm to the back of her head. Squeezing her eyes shut, she willed the pain to go away and let out a pained hiss.

"Damn this," she muttered to herself. _Painkillers._ Jane turned to her side to find her prescription but froze; she had expected to find the nightstand with her pain medication, but was instead met with Loki's sleeping form within a foot of her. She clamped her mouth shut in surprise.

The pain in Jane's head subsided as she studied the sleeping Asgardian. His head was tilted to the side, leaned against the back wall behind the headboard. His dark hair fell about his porcelain face, lining his sharp and angular features. His mouth was set in a straight line, making him appear more severe than usual. Her eyes traced the lines in his face until they reached his closed eyes. She furrowed her brows; she hadn't realized how tired he must have been. The dark circles beneath his eyes were deeper than she remembered. Her chest tightened: Jane knew that the reason he didn't sleep was _because_ of her.

The longer that Jane studied Loki, the more she realized that she had never really _seen_ him: he was always around her, but she had never seen him as she saw him now. He was…_beautiful_. She reached a hand out toward him; her arm seemed to move of its own volition.

_Let him sleep,_ Jane thought to herself. She instead chose to leave the room and allow him to sleep; it was the most peaceful she'd ever seen him.

Jane carefully threw back the sheets, never taking her eyes from him. He did not stir as she moved around the room. After pulling a sweatshirt over her head, Jane left her bedroom, closing the door behind her.

Padding out to the living room, Jane sat down on the couch and picked up her research notes that Loki had abandoned the previous night. She smiled at the neat script that intermingled with her own. Sometimes she found equations scribbled out, other times simply suggestions written between the lines.

The next hour was spent looking over her notes on the Foster Theory and reviewing the corrections and changed made by Loki. Her headache returned with a vengeance, breaking her steady concentration. Jane pressed her palm to her temple and continued to read and write. She bit the top of the pen and tried not to think about the ache in her skull.

Not too much longer after her headache resurfaced, she began to lose her focus. With a sigh, Jane set aside her notes and the pen on the coffee table, and made her way to the kitchen. She opened a cabinet and rummaged through the vitamin and various other medicine bottles.

"Come on, gimme _something_," Jane mumbled. She stood on her toes and reached further into the cupboard, hoping that there would be at least some kind of generic painkiller stored away.

Jane froze as a gentle hand rested on her waist and her bottle of medication from her nightstand was place on the counter beside her. She slowly stepped down and turned to face Loki. He held her gaze as he wordlessly reached around her for a glass. Jane became nervous and averted her gaze. Loki turned away to fill the glass with water while Jane opened the medicine bottle and poured two pills into her hand. She took the full glass from Loki's outstretched hand and popped the pills in her mouth, followed by a large gulp of water. She set the glass down on the countertop and opened her mouth to speak.

"Thanks," she said shyly.

"Why didn't you wake me?" he asked softly.

"Because you need the sleep."

Loki shook his head. "Infuriating woman."

His gaze softened and he stepped closer to her. Jane could see the trepidation in his eyes as he lifted her chin and brought her lips to his. This sudden action should have shocked Jane, should have alarmed her, but it only made her feel weak. Loki stepped forward as Jane fell unsteadily against the ledge of the counter. He wrapped an arm around her slender waist and gingerly held her against him. Jane raised a shaky hand and placed it on his chest, but did not push him away, instead pulling him closer. Loki pressed harder against Jane's lips, teasing them open. He lifted Jane on top of the counter and covered her hand on his chest with his own, cupping the back of her head with the other. Jane raised her free hand to his cheek and stroked away his hesitations. He happily continued to kiss her without reservation, obliging the want and need in her fingertips.

Loki paused to breathe, and Jane leaned her head against his chest. Her mind spun, and she closed her eyes to focus on gathering her thoughts.

_Where has all your sense gone, Jane?_

"How did you sleep?" he finally asked. Loki's sudden and unexpected question threw her off. She smiled; the arbitrariness of it was almost comical.

"Same as usual. Maybe a little bit better." _Especially since you were there_, she added silently.

"Good," he replied. "I assume you looked over your notes?" Jane nodded and sat up straighter.

"They were great. Thanks for looking them over."

"Of course, Jane," he replied gently, his hands falling away from her. Loki kissed her forehead and turned away with a light sigh.

"What was that for?" Jane blurted. Loki stopped in his tracks, shoulders tensing.

"You mean why I kissed you?"

"Yes."

Loki sighed. "Because…because it felt right. _You_ feel right," he explained softly. He shook his head. _How stupid, Loki. She still holds a place for Thor. It can never be you. How idiotic._

"I'm sorry, Jane; I should not have done that. I should not have taken advantage of the situation."

"Don't."

"Don't what?"

"Don't be sorry."

Loki turned and faced Jane, his eyebrows drawn together in confusion.

"Why not?"

"Because you have no reason to be."

Something flickered in his bright green gaze. Jane could have sworn she saw the ghost of a smile cross his face. She reached out for his hand and pulled him close, encircling his neck and burying her face in him. He tensed minutely at her touch, unsure if he should allow it.

"I should be thanking you, you know," Jane said matter-of-factly.

"For what?"

"For taking care of me." She paused with a slight smile. "Funny thing is, _I'm_ the one that's supposed to be taking care of _you_."

Loki snorted. "_You're_ supposed to be taking care of _me?_ Really, now?"

"Yeah. I promised your brother that I would." Jane withdrew her arms from around his neck and crossed them across her chest. "I don't break my promises."

"Is that so?"

Jane shrugged. "Well, for the most part. I try not to make promises I know I can't keep."

"And promising to keep me in check was a promise you thought you could keep?" Loki asked playfully.

"I suppose, but I like to think of it as less of a promise and more of a challenge," she replied with a grin. Loki laughed.

"I shall have to make things more difficult, then," he said with a wolfish grin.

oOoOo

"Master, we know the exact location of the Lost Prince."

Thanos turned, a malicious smile growing on his face.

"Good. Prepare to leave. He shall soon pay for his failure."

oOoOo

Later that day, Jane sat next to Loki on the couch reading notes while he read sonnets.

"Interesting choice," she said drily.

"What makes you say that?"

"Jane shrugged. "Nothing. I didn't even know I owned any of Shakespeare's works. Maybe SHIELD put it in here before I moved back."

"This 'Shakespeare' is rather poetic. I enjoy his work." He paused as he finished what he was reading. "It proves a welcome respite from reading theorems all day," he added with a smirk.

Jane's cell phone rang out, and she lightly punched Loki's arm before going to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Hello, sweetheart!"

Jane smiled. "Hey, Tony. What's going on?"

"Not too much. Listen, I'm in town and just thought I'd drop by; Fury's also called in the entire team. Says he's been informed of a new development or something about the whole Loki business." Jane could just picture Tony rolling his eyes as he said it.

Jane raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really?"

"Yep. Thought you might want in on it. Rogers, Banner, Barton, and Romanov are en route."

"I'm guessing you're in the suit?"

"Right."

"What about Pepper? Is she coming as well?" Jane had been desperate to see her for some time.

"Pep is on the jet with the team. Fury says we're all meeting at the new base, but he didn't exactly say where that was."

"It's still in New York; it's actually beneath the apartment building I'm staying in, two blocks north from the wreckage." Thinking that having Tony over might not be a good idea, she tried to deter him from meeting her. "Meet everyone at the airport, though. You know he'll have an escort."

"Yeah, but what's the fun in that?" Jane rolled her eyes. Typical Tony Stark, always wanting to do things the hard way.

"Tony—"

"Listen, I'll be there in a few minutes. How about I just meet you there?"

"I don't think that's a good idea," she replied, looking back at Loki. No one was supposed to know he was even here. If Tony found out, all hell would break loose.

"Why not?" He paused. "Fury picked a hell of a hiding spot for the new base. Never knew apartments would so easily hide SHIELD operatives."

"Yeah, well, it gets the job done, I s'pose." Jane could hear Tony's suit flying around outside of the building. She could only assume that he was looking for her.

"What floor are you on, sweetheart? I'll meet you and we can grab a bite to eat before seeing what the Pirate wants."

"Like I said, Tony, right now isn't the best—"

"Look, I'll just fly by. You know I'll find it sooner or later," he said. Jane could hear the smile in his voice.

"Please, Tony, I'll just meet you at base, okay?"

"Found you!" he said. Jane paled and slowly turned to see Tony in the Iron Man suit, hovering just outside over the balcony. He landed, and the mask slid back, revealing his ruggedly handsome face. Jane hung up, sliding the phone in her pocket, and ran to the sliding glass door. She slipped through it quickly and shut it behind her.

"Hey sweetheart!"

"Tony, I _told_ you it's not a good time." Jane sighed and pressed her lips together.

"Why not?"

"Just trust me, Tony."

"Aw, Jane! I'll just be a few minutes. Promise."

Jane pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a sharp breath.

"Okay, okay. Gimme a few minutes. My place is a mess," she lied. Tony shrugged, and Jane walked back into her apartment hurriedly.

"What is going—" Loki began, but Jane interrupted him.

"Shh! Follow me; hurry!" she hissed. Loki closed the book of sonnets and set it down before standing up. He began to follow her when he heard a chuckle from behind him.

"Jane! You don't have to hide him! Is _that_ why you didn't want me over?"

Jane flinched. "Pretty much, Tony." She reached for Loki's hand and began to lead him away. _Please don't come any closer_, she prayed.

"Come on, sweetheart! Let's meet him; gotta make sure he's good enough for you," Tony said with a laugh. Jane ignored him, but he jumped in front of them. Tony's bright smile faded as his eyes landed on Loki's face. He scowled and pulled Jane away from him, repulsors at the ready.

"Back so soon, Rock of Ages? No more horns, I take it," Tony snarled.

"Good to see you too, Man of Iron," Loki replied drily.

"Enough, Tony! Loki _isn't_ a threat, not anymore!"

"What is he here for, then?"

"As an assignment from Fury and a favor to Thor—"

"In other words, punishment," Loki interjected calmly.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard correctly."

Jane stepped in between the two of them.

"No one was supposed to know, okay? So let's calm down—"

"What is he doing here?" Tony asked again through gritted teeth.

"Tony, we just went over this."

"No, I mean _here_, with _you_."

"Thor didn't trust anyone else. That's why the only people that know Loki is here are Fury, Thor, and very few agents. Let's keep it that way, hmm?" Jane said through her teeth. Tony's gaze flitted between her and Loki before he lowered his arm and disarmed the repulsors. Jane's phone rang in her pocket, and she narrowed her eyes at Tony before answering.

"Hello?"

"Hello Miss Foster? Feeling better?" _Fury_.

"A bit better, yes."

"Good; listen, I need to meet with both you and Loki in an hour. The others—Tony, Steve, Clint, Bruce, and Natasha—will be joining us soon after."

"I know. Tony's already here. They've already met."

"Well, that's out of the way," Fury replied with a resigned sigh. "I'll see you three in an hour."

oOoOo

Jane, Loki, and Tony headed toward the elevator, Jane walking between the two men. When they entered the elevator, Jane made sure to stand between them. The electronic pad appeared, and Jane pressed her thumb to the scanner. The two columns of glowing blue buttons replaced the standard set, and Jane pressed the button leading to their destination. The tension in the elevator was strong, almost palpable. Jane didn't even attempt at conversation; she knew there would be enough of that soon.

The elevator bell went off, signifying their arrival, and the metal doors slid open. Jane led the way to Fury's office, ignoring the stares the three were receiving from the agents. She continued on, determined to begin what would no doubt be a more amplified version of Tony's encounter with Loki.

When Jane reached the office, she knocked on the door three times but did not bother with waiting for permission to enter. Fury was talking on the phone when she stepped in.

"I don't know if your office will be able to handle what I think is going to happen very soon," Jane said after Fury hung up the phone.

"You might be right, Miss Foster. I've told the others to meet us in the debriefing room down the hall. Follow me."

Fury stepped through the doorway and nodded in greeting to both Loki and Tony.

"I take it you've met our guest, Stark," Fury observed nonchalantly.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that," Tony replied in a clipped tone of voice.

Fury didn't reply, but led the three of them down the corridor. Loki walked closer to Jane, brushing her hand with his. She shot him a sidelong glance, and was met by a pair of anxious green eyes. Just the look in his eyes was enough to tell her that he was dreading this as much as she was. She slowed her pace and matched her step with his. When they reached the debriefing room, Jane held up a hand to Loki and proceeded toward Fury.

"We'll be inside in just a second." Fury nodded curtly and proceeded inside the room, followed by Stark. Jane turned around to face Loki.

"Don't worry; it'll all be over soon. They'll be sensitive, but they'll have to learn to get used to it. If this meeting is going to be about what I think it is, then we're all going to have to work together." She offered him a smile. He smiled in return.

"You're fearlessness and unwavering determination are my own brand of liquid courage, Jane," Loki replied as he took her hand and raised it to his lips. He pressed a gentle kiss to her knuckles and Jane blushed in response. Loki winked, a mischievous smile on his lips, and Jane shook her head, leading the way into the debriefing room.

oOoOo

The debriefing room had been in an uproar from the moment Loki had walked in.

That had been over an hour ago.

The only people that had remained somewhat calm were Jane, Fury, and Pepper. Fury was locked in an argument with Tony, and Clint interjected every once in a while. Loki stood silently as venomous slander was shot at him, poisoning his resolve. The only comfort he had was when Jane's small hand rested on the center of his spine. If she could endure it, then so could he. Though, her patience could only last for so long.

"Enough!" Jane shouted. The room quieted immediately, much to Loki's surprise. The anger was evident on her face.

"Enough," she repeated quietly, but not any less firm. "The point of this meeting still hasn't been reached because _none_ of you can grow up. You all are bickering like five-year olds. If this is all you plan on doing during this meeting, then I'm going back to my apartment. I have better things to do than listen to a bunch of adults argue," she spat.

Loki watched Jane with a mixture of pride and relief: he was proud that she was able to command the attention of all in the room, and relieved that she had been able to silence the insults and negativity. His relief was short-lived, though: Jane had overexerted herself with her outburst, and her anger was replaced by exhaustion. He moved to steady her, but she pushed him away gently. Unconvinced that she was stable, he remained close to her.

"Director?" Jane nodded in his direction. He nodded in thanks and cleared his throat.

"The reason you've all been called back is because there is a potential threat that needs to be dealt with immediately—"

"Yeah! He's standing right _next_ to you!" Tony interrupted. Beside him, Pepper was growing impatient.

"_Can it_, Tony," she snapped.

"The threat is much bigger than before, Stark. If you would kindly shut the hell up and sit your snarky ass down, maybe I could continue with this debriefing," Fury said curtly. Pepper tugged on Stark's arm, forcing him to sit down. He clenched his jaw in frustration, but remained silent.

"Like I said, the threat we're dealing with now is much bigger than before," Fury continued. "There has been a recent turn of events and now we are faced with a new villain. His name is Thanos, and he is not from our world." He turned to Loki.

"Why don't you take it from here?" Loki nodded and stepped forward.

"Thanos is, as the Director explained, an otherworldly being. He is what is called a Titan, but his genetics were somehow mutated, so he is much more powerful. He employs both brute strength as well as superior mind power when dealing with adversaries.

"When I was…banished, I somehow landed in his realm. In exchange for amplified power, I promised a successful conquest of Earth, thus promising expansion for his power.

"As you are all perfectly aware, I was unable to fulfill my end of the bargain and now, Thanos is searching for me. I have no doubt that he has already found me."

"Why don't we hand you over, then? Wouldn't that eliminate the problem?" Clint asked indignantly.

"Well, unless you want to start a war against Asgard, then no," Fury answered.

"What does Thor have to say about all of this?" Steve asked.

"Thor is aware of the matter. He is currently speaking with the Allfather in Asgard. They are trying to find a way to solve this," Loki replied.

The room fell silent as each present member of the Avengers tried to come to terms with the present situation. To everyone's surprise, Pepper was the first to break the silence.

"How can we be sure that he's looking for you?" came her gentle voice.

"He has already tried, multiple times, to find me through Jane," Loki replied calmly. The atmosphere in the room changed immediately, becoming tenser.

"What do you mean, 'through Jane'?"

Loki shot a sideways glance toward Jane, almost as if seeking her permission to proceed. She understood what he was asking, and nodded.

"Thanos invaded her mind after she fell asleep, seeking out information. When it became apparent that Jane did not trust him and would not relinquish the details of my whereabouts, Thanos began to torture her psychologically, turning her mind on itself. He still makes appearances in the form of nightmares," Loki finished.

All eyes fell on Jane, and she shifted uncomfortably on her feet. She could feel their hot stares burn into her face like a brand.

"Why didn't you tell him?" Tony asked after a few moments. Jane sighed.

"If you had seen what I had seen, even _you_ wouldn't wish that, on _anyone_. Thanos is crazy, he's power-hungry. If you had seen the things he'd promised he'd do when he found Loki, you would have done the same thing. The nightmares are terrible, but if it means delaying Thanos, then it's worth it. I'd even do it again," she explained tiredly. Her confession stunned Loki, as well as everyone in the room. For the first time, Tony had nothing to say.

"Why? Why put yourself through that?" Clint asked.

"Because I'd like to think I'm a decent human being, Barton," Jane replied in exasperation. "You know, I accepted the task of rehabilitating Loki because of two reasons: _one_, because I promised Thor that I would, and _two_, because I was always taught that everyone deserves a second chance, no matter their past. As long as a person is willing to take that second chance, you should always be ready to give it," she explained.

Loki could not fathom Jane; he did not understand where all of this came from. Truthfully, she should hate him; she had every right to. He had sought her out during the battle for Manhattan to use her as bait for Thor, and attempted to kill her more than once. If anything, he agreed with Barton and the rest of the Avengers: Jane should have turned him in to Thanos a long time ago.

_If our places had been switched_, he thought, _would I have done the same thing?_

Something must have struck Jane, because she closed her eyes and tried to straighten her posture. She avoided the stares she knew she was receiving; they all must have thought she was insane.

"I'm going outside. I'll see you all later," she said finally. Loki moved to follow her, but she held a hand up. He stepped back; she needed space, and he would give her as much as she wanted. Jane tiredly walked out of the debriefing room and everyone's gaze followed her. No one said anything, and the only noise in the room was Pepper's chair scraping across the floor as she stood up to follow Jane.

"Jane Foster is a better person than we give her credit for; she has done what none of us could. Remember that," Fury said, giving both Tony and Clint a pointed glare.

oOoOo

Jane tried to breathe deeply, but her airways felt constricted. Leaning up against the wall outside of the debriefing room, she closed her eyes. She heard the sound of the door to the room open and close beside her.

_Please, leave me alone_, she pleaded silently.

"Jane? Are you okay?" _Pepper_.

Jane opened her eyes, feeling relieved that it was not Loki, or anyone else still left in the room. She met Pepper's gentle gaze, and her resolve began to falter. Before she knew it, tears were streaming down her face. Pepper pulled her into a tight embrace, wrapping her arms around Jane protectively.

"Oh Jane, what's the matter?"

"I'm tired, Pepper. I'm _so_ tired," Jane managed to choke out. "I hate having to constantly wonder if I'm doing the right thing. I should hate him; I should want to make him pay for what he's done, but I don't. I think I've forgiven him, and I'm not sure why.

"And then," she hiccupped, "just when I think I'm doing right, when I think I've got the answer, I have everyone else to contend with. Tony and Clint no doubt hate me, Natasha is judging me, and Bruce and Steve are probably disappointed in me. How can I deal with that?

"The nightmares are what frighten me the most. Every night, I see the same thing: I see fire and war and utter destruction. I see everyone that I love dead or dying at my feet. And then, I see Loki at the hands of an invisible monster. I watch as he breaks, as the life drains from him, and I watch as he begs me to help him, to end his life and agony. I watch as he cries out in pain, and I hear a voice telling me that this is what he will get, that this is what he deserves. How could I subject him to that?" Jane asked helplessly.

She sobbed into Pepper's shoulder, shaking uncontrollably. The redhead rubbed slow circles in Jane's back, trying her best to comfort her. She stroked her hair and soothed her as best she could.

After Jane's sobbing had diminished into hiccups, she pulled away and looked Pepper in the eye.

"Have I done right?"

oOoOo

Once the debriefing was over, each person left without a word. Fury explained that they would be meeting over the course of the next few days, and that he expected to see them back in the debriefing room in two days time. Everyone walked out into the hallway after Fury dismissed them, no one saying a word. Loki had stepped out into the hallway first, searching for Jane; he looked down each corridor, but Jane was nowhere in sight.

Loki's search was interrupted by the sudden weight of a hand on his shoulder. He froze and turned around to see Steve Rogers, flanked by Tony Stark and Clint Barton. Loki stood up straighter, standing a bit taller than those before him. Steve's hard gaze never left Loki's face.

"Look, I don't care what you're doing here, and I don't care why. All that matters now is combating this new threat, so I'm willing to let the past go. If anything's gonna get done, I'd rather we all be on the same side," Steve explained. Loki nodded in agreement, and what Steve did next surprised him: he stuck out his hand for Loki to shake. Loki hesitantly grasped his hand and shook it briefly.

"We'll see you in a few days. Steve began to walk away, but turned at the last second.

"One last thing."

"Yes?"

"Look after her."

Loki didn't have to ask him of whom he was speaking. He knew well enough. The others left the hallway, and Loki resumed his search. After trying to locate her for a few minutes, Loki decided that Jane must have returned to the apartment. He walked through the corridors until he reached the elevator. As he waited for it, he thought about the meeting.

_Well,_ he thought, _at least we are getting somewhere._

oOoOo

Loki opened the door to the apartment and stilled as he listened for signs of Jane's presence. His patience was rewarded when his highly attuned ears picked up the sound of dresser drawers opening and closing. Exhaustion washed over him, and he automatically headed toward the couch. He lay down on his back and flung his arm over his eyes. He could only hope sleep would come.

Jane's bedroom door opened and shut with a click, and Loki heard the quiet sound of her feet walking across the wood floor. He heard her stop by the couch. She sniffed, and Loki uncovered his eyes. He took in Jane's disheveled appearance: she wore sweatpants and an old tee. Her eyes were raw from crying, her cheeks pink.

"Scootch over," she commanded, her voice cracking. Loki did as he was told without a word, moving against the back of the couch. Jane pressed herself against him, nuzzling her face into his chest. Before she could stop it, the tears began to fall.

"Jane, what's wrong?" Loki asked softly. He wrapped his arms around her slender form and held her close. She curled into him, and he let her. Her close proximity felt right to him; he _wanted_ her close. He wanted to be her comfort, to be her support.

Loki kissed the top of Jane's head and waited for her tears to subside. It had taken a while, but Jane's crying had eventually stopped and her breathing steadied, signifying that she had fallen asleep. Her rhythmic breathing became his lullaby, and he made sure that she had enough space before falling asleep.

That night, the nightmares never came.

* * *

**A/N: I'm trying to keep up a regular updating schedule, but I can see it's not working. Ack! Anyways, I hope you liked it; please review! I love every single one I receive! :]**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hi all! Been a while, yeah? There'll be more explanation at the bottom. WARNING: not sure if this is a trigger warning or not, but there will be some graphic injuries at one point during this chapter. Just letting you know :]**

* * *

Loki awoke in the middle of the night feeling disoriented. He blinked a few times to shake off the darkness, and remembered where he had fallen asleep. He moved to sit up to begin his routine of checking in on Jane in her room, but was reminded that she had fallen asleep beside him only hours before. His eyes fell on her sleeping form; her chest rose and fell evenly. He quickly tried to think of a way to move around her without waking her up, but every slight movement he made did nothing to wake her. He deftly swung himself over her and stood up, stretching his tense limbs. Jane still slept peacefully; he wanted to leave her where she lay, but he knew she would awaken feeling uncomfortable.

Making up his mind, Loki slid his hands beneath her and lifted her into his arms slowly. He carried her to her bedroom and laid her down on her mattress, pulling the blankets around her. He left without a sound and padded out into the living room. He rubbed his eyes and yawned, trying to wake up.

The lights of New York City shone through the balcony door and dimly illuminated the apartment. He turned the lights on and absently began to pace. The room suddenly began to feel very warm, and he quickly strode toward the glass sliding door. A gentle evening breeze washed over him, and images of the previous day flashed through his mind.

_Her lips against mine._

_Her tight embrace. _

_Her courage in the face of the most powerful Midgardians._

_Her strength in her convictions._

Loki sighed and turned away from the open balcony. _You sound like a lovesick puppy. Ridiculous._ Notes in hand, he set about occupying himself when he heard a strange noise from behind him. He whipped around and came face to face with The Other. His stomach dropped, and the notes he held fell from his grasp.

"Hello once again, Lost Prince," The Other hissed. "I see you've become the slave of the pretty human girl. That is beneath you, is it not? What a shame." The cloak of his hood was pulled over his eyes, but it did not hide his blood red smile.

"What are you doing here?" Loki asked flatly, keeping his fear in check. His thoughts drifted to Jane sleeping in her room.

"Do not pretend as if you do not know the reason for our arrival, Loki Laufeyson."

"'Our'?"

The Other grinned. "Yes. Our. Surely you did not believe that Thanos would not come to collect?"

Not a moment later, the only being Loki had ever feared stepped forward from the shadows. He involuntarily took a step back, and the dark figure chuckled.

Thanos.

"Time to go."

The Other placed his palm over Loki's temple, and everything faded to black.

oOoOo

Jane slowly awakened, the sound of the busy New York City streets unusually loud. She sat up and found herself back in her own bed. She was grateful she was back in her own bed; she couldn't imagine why she'd even allowed herself to fall asleep in his arms.

Jane tiredly rubbed her eyes and yawned before throwing back the blankets. Walking out into the living room, she came across an empty couch. In fact, the living room and the kitchen were both empty. Jane also found it strange that the sliding glass door leading to the balcony had been left open.

"Loki?" she called. No answer. She turned and walked back down the hallway to his room. Opening the door, she flipped on the lights. He wasn't there. She knocked on the second bathroom door, but he wasn't there either.

Jane rushed to the front door of the apartment and swung it open, but the hallway was empty.

"Loki?" she called out again. No response. Jane ran to the living room once again, and her eyes fell to the scattered pages on the floor. She froze.

_What happened?_

Jane knelt down and stared at the notes she hadn't seemed to notice before. She collected them and walked out to the balcony. There was no sign of himoutside. She ran back inside and out through the front door.

_Don't worry, Jane. He's probably just talking with Fury and the others_, she tried to reason.

When she reached the elevator, Jane quickly entered and pressed the correct buttons. It took a few moments for the elevator to reach the right level, and when the doors opened, she stepped out into the hallway. Wrapping her arms around herself, Jane proceeded toward Fury's office.

"Fury? It's Jane," she called.

"Come in, Miss Foster."

Once inside, she looked around the room for Loki. "Did Loki come down here earlier?"

Fury raised an eyebrow and shook his head. "No, Miss Foster. I haven't seen him since the briefing." He paused and cocked his head to the side. "Is there something wrong?"

"I—I don't know where he went. I woke up and he was gone."

"Gone?"

Jane nodded. "Gone. He's nowhere in the apartment." She nervously ran a hand through her chestnut hair.

"Miss Foster, is there a possibility that he left the building for some reason? _Any_ reason at all?"

"No. He never had a reason to leave. Even when he's had the opportunity the past few months, he's always stayed put." Her thoughts drifted back to the first time he left the apartment. Shaking her head, she knew that those were different circumstances then; things were different now.

Fury pulled the radio from his belt and spoke rapidly into it.

"All field agents set up a quarantine around the city; widespread search for Loki begins now. If he is found, bring him back immediately."

Within a few minutes, Natasha and Clint entered Fury's office.

"Do you want us out there with the agents?" Clint asked, hand resting on his belt. Fury shook his head.

"No. I need you two in the air. We aren't sure if he decided it was time to leave or if something happened to him, but he needs to be found immediately. If any civilians find him, there will be a lot of problems for everyone in this division. Understood?"

Both Natasha and Clint nodded before turning and leaving from the room. Fury focused his attention on Jane.

"Miss Foster, return to the apartment in case he comes back. We want to be sure we have all bases covered." Jane nodded and left the office.

oOoOo

Odin turned to face his son. "Thor, we cannot seek war with an unknown force. We do not know the strength of Thanos. He has not been heard from for thousands of years. Thanos was banished. We cannot know how—"

That moment, a guard rushed into the Great Hall. He bowed, keeping his head low as he addressed the Allfather.

"Allfather, please forgive this interruption, but Heimdall informed me that he needs to speak with the both of you immediately. The matter is urgent."

Odin and Thor immediately made their way out of the Great Hall, following the guard closely.

oOoOo

"What is it, good Heimdall?" Odin asked.

The Gatekeeper turned and bowed his head. "Allfather, Loki has been captured."

"By Thanos?" Thor urged. Heimdall nodded.

"Yes. He was visited by Thanos and The Other sometime in the evening. They took him away, although to where I do not know." He paused. "The answer to your next question, Prince, is yes. The Other and Thanos left Jane alone. She remains on Midgard."

Odin turned to Thor. "You must return to Midgard. Speak with Jane, and you must bring her here. Perhaps I might be able to search her memories for where Thanos may be."

Thor nodded, and Heimdall stepped forward and placed the sword in the Bifrost sheath. The room spun, and within a few moments, the Bifrost swallowed the Prince.

oOoOo

Jane re-entered her apartment and checked every room a second time, just to be sure Loki hadn't returned. She returned to the living room in frustration and nervously began to pace.

A sudden yet familiar feeling began to surface in the pit of her stomach.

Jane's sight became fuzzy, and she was beginning to lose her balance. Her breathing became ragged and uneven. She dropped to her hands and knees, and the overwhelming feeling of her mind slipping away engulfed her.

_Think of what Loki taught you. Push him out._

In the midst of this, Jane could slightly make out the muffled sound of a door opening and closing. Her mind was so far away from reality that she didn't have the strength to see who it was. Her blurred vision worsened with every passing second. As she tried to focus, she became aware of a figure dropping to her side. Strong arms encircled her and the figure tried to communicate, but Jane couldn't hear a word of what it was saying. The figure lifted her from the floor and she heard the sound of muffled shouting, and soon, her already clouded vision was overwhelmed by blinding light.

oOoOo

Loki blinked a few times, trying to adjust himself to the immense darkness that encased his being. No matter how many times he tried to blink it away, it was think in the air around him, giving him the feeling of claustrophobia. He evened his breathing, and he tried to think.

"I will admit, Prince, it was rather difficult trying to find you, but it was as you were told: there is no place where we cannot find you."

Loki tried to stand, but his hands were chained behind his back. He adjusted to sit on his knees, but he still could not see him. He could not see Thanos.

"It is a pity that we had to use that mortal girl. I suspect she will never be the same," he continued. Loki tensed but said nothing.

"No matter. We have you, and I am prepared to generously grant you a chance to redeem yourself. All that matters is whether or not you are willing to take that chance."

Loki weighed his options. "If I do not accept?"

"That would mean death; not only for you, Prince, but for others."

"I do not concern myself with the fate of others," he lied. "Have you not learned from my past?"

Thanos laughed. "Perhaps I have not, but perhaps I can change your mind."

Loki smirked despite the situation. "That will be interesting to see."

"You do not believe me? Very well then." He paused. "Did you ever wonder what happened in the mind of the mortal girl that protected you?" Loki could hear the malicious grin in his tone. "You have not? Why don't I show you?"

Loki felt a large hand cover his temple, and he was thrust into another abyss. After a few moments passed, vibrant colours began to swirl around in the forefront of his vision. Images of horrid destruction lay before him. Burning buildings and black skies surrounded him. The thick smoke filled his lungs, making him choke. He raised an arm to cover his mouth, and he began to move forward. His foot caught on something, and tripped him. His arms jutted out, breaking his fall. Once he had regained his bearings, he turned to see what had caused him to fall. The blood in his veins ran cold.

Before him lay the mangled body of his brother.

Loki looked around, and the lifeless forms of every person he had ever come to know were strewn about the rubble and debris-ridden streets. Each member of the Avengers Initiative lay motionless on the broken gravel among others.

The ground beneath him swirled and disappeared, and the vivid image of his brother's battered body burned into his mind. The sensation of falling engulfed him, and he began to panic. His vision wouldn't settle, and an unfamiliar pressure settled on his chest. He clawed at it, but it remained.

Before his panic overtook him completely, he hit solid ground, landing ungracefully on his hands and knees. He looked around wildly, but was met with darkness once again. The pressure upon his chest had not lifted, and his limbs felt rigid. Everything hurt to move, and clenching his teeth was all he could do to keep from crying out in pain.

Loki squeezed his eyes shut and focused on trying to push the pain away, but Thanos forced his eyes to open. His surroundings changed, and he was back in New York City. The streets were deserted, and he listened carefully for anything and everything. The pressure had been lifted and his limbs no longer tensed. He stood and began to walk down a somewhat familiar avenue. It was eerily quiet; the only sound that could be accounted for was the crunch of the gravel beneath his feet.

A bloodcurdling shriek rang out in the dead air, catching Loki's immediate attention. The sound became more and more frequent, and it was painful to hear. He picked up the pace and followed the piercing sound. When he found the source of the scream, he stopped dead in his tracks.

Jane lay on the ground, curled up on her side. Her hands were bleeding, and from what he could see at his distance, she had sustained some sort of head injury. Her arms were severely bruised, and her clothes had nearly been torn to shreds. Her jeans had been torn at the thigh, exposing wide cuts and burns. He moved to help, but something pushed him back. Jane threw her head back and let out another agonized scream. She clutched at her abdomen, and blood began to blossom across her filthy and tattered shirt.

Loki pushed against the force he thought was there, and rapidly stumbled forward. With every step that he took, Jane had sustained yet another injury. It was a lesson he quickly learned, but it pained him to know that there was nothing he could do. Tears were streaming down her face, and her breathing was ragged and uneven, and her chest moved quickly with each shallow breath she took. Blood trickled from the side of her mouth, and she blinked slowly as if in a daze.

She was utterly broken.

"Jane?" Loki breathed. He watched her face intently, and her gaze became more focused. She looked around until her eyes settled on him. Her eyes were filled with pain and seemed almost frantic.

"Loki," Jane choked out. She shakily reached out a hand toward him and coughed.

"Do you see this, Prince?" a rough voice whispered in his ear. "This is what you have done to her. This is what you forced her to endure, all because she couldn't let you go. This is what she deserves for not cooperating. This is what _you_ deserve."

Loki stood stock-still. He wanted to go forth and comfort Jane, to tell her that everything would be okay, that he would help her, but he knew that he would only be hurting her. Guilt washed over him.

_This is my fault._

"Loki...please," Jane pleaded softly. The pain in her eyes overwhelmed him, and he kept his gaze focused on her.

"I am so sorry, Jane...I—I cannot help you—"

"P-please make it stop," she pleaded. "Please."

"Either way, you hurt her. Can you live with that, Lost Prince? Can you live with killing your brother's lover?"

"She isn't his lover," Loki interjected. Though Thanos did not stand before him, he could hear the smile in his voice.

"Are you so sure about that? I have seen the doubt in your mind. You question whether or not Jane could learn to love you as she loves your brother."

"She isn't his lover," he repeated, less sure of himself.

"Even if she is not, you still question whether or not she could have ever loved you just the same. Or if she could have even loved you at all. All it comes down to now, is can you do it? Can you hurt her willingly?"

Loki remained still, grinding his jaw while he watched Jane writhe in pain, unable to do anything.

"Let her go. After all, you are only hurting her the closer you become."

As if of its own accord, his heart began to rebuild its icy walls, hardening it as it had been before. He would not allow himself to be the cause of any pain she endured. He paused for a moment, contemplating looking back at her one last time, but the gravelly voice stopped him.

"If you look back, I will kill her," it snarled.

"Loki..." she pleaded.

Loki gritted his teeth and stepped back into darkness.

* * *

**A/N: Whew! So, the reason I haven't been updating is because I had been prepping for college, and now I'm all settled in! I've been here for a week and it's been pretty hectic; I've tried to write when I can, so I apologize if this chapter isn't as lengthy as normal. I'm going to try my best to get back into a regular update schedule, but please be patient with me; there's only so much time in the day. Fear not; I will NOT abandon this story! Time between updates may be a little shaky, though. Bear with me!**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this one; please review! I love reading them!**


	7. Chapter 7

Jane drifted in and out of consciousness, unsure if the blurred lights and dull voices were real or simply a dream. She stirred minutely, and the voices that surrounded her became more pronounced.

"I cannot search any further, my dear." A soft female voice.

"Why not?" A strong and wizened voice.

"I can only see as much as she can, and with the state that she is in, there is not much that she can reveal. Sometimes, I am able to get a glimpse of what her night terrors and dreams are, but they are unfocused and fleeting," the woman explained. A heavy silence ensued. The voice that sounded old and worn spoke again in response, but Jane could hardly hear it; her mind flickered between consciousness and unconsciousness, muffling their words.

A throbbing pain flowered at the base of her skull, and she moaned. The talking stopped, and she felt the mattress dip beside her as a new weight settled, and a warm hand wrapped around hers tightly before she lost consciousness once more.

oOoOo

"Why...why are you doing this?" he rasped, gritting his teeth in agony. His head ached and pounded, making it very difficult to form a coherent thought.

"To ensure that you do not fail me again," Thanos snarled.

His mind felt distant, no longer his. He tried to grasp at it, to hold on to it, but it was no more effective than grasping at straws. Everything he had ever thought, every memory that he had ever had of anything and anyone was being strongly suppressed. Everything swirled and seemed to disappear, replaced by a singular thought, a singular motive.

Loki's eyes opened, and he saw the world anew. He knew his purpose, his reason for living, for _being_.

oOoOo

Jane opened her eyes and was greeted by a room that seemed to shine brilliantly despite the dim lighting. She sat up on her elbows, feeling wearier and more worn down than she had ever been. She looked around the room; there was something about it that didn't quite sit well with her, but her mind was too hazy to try and decipher what it was. Her eyes continued to explore the room until they landed on the sleeping figure sitting in a chair at her bedside.

"Thor?" Jane whispered. He still slept soundly, his chin nearly touching his chest. She tried again.

"Thor?"

He jolted awake, eyes wide. He immediately relaxed when he saw who had called his name. He stood up and stretched before moving to sit on the bed next to her.

"Jane, how are you feeling?" he asked gently, bright and tired eyes meeting hers.

She furrowed her brow. "I feel tired. It hurts to move and—where's Loki? What happened to him?" she asked, looking around the dim room. Thor grasped her hand and held it tightly, and a pained look entered his eyes.

"Jane, you must listen to me. Loki...we have been trying to find him. He is beyond Heimdall's sight as well as my mother's. Frigga is one of the most talented seers in all of the Nine Realms, but she cannot find where he has been taken."

Jane's heart sank. "W-when?"

"You do not remember, Jane? It must have been sometime while you were asleep on Midgard."

Her memories came flooding back; memories of her frantic search for Loki back in her apartment. _Her apartment._ Jane paused.

"Wait, where am I?" Jane asked.

Thor hesitated before replying. "Asgard."

Jane gave him a disbelieving look. "You're joking."

"I wish I were."

"Why...how?"

"I brought you here. Heimdall informed us shortly after Loki went missing that you still remained. It was suggested that you might know Loki's whereabouts, even subconsciously. I came to Midgard to retrieve you—my timing could not have been more perfect, it would seem—and you were having some kind of...fit. I assumed it was because of Thanos, and I brought you immediately here. Frigga did her best, but she only knows as much as you," he explained. Jane leaned forward and propped her head up with her free hand, elbow resting on her knee.

"I-I wasn't paying attention. This is my fault. Oh god—" she began rapidly, realizing she was falling into a panic attack.

"Jane, listen to me. None of this is your fault, do you hear me? What happened to Loki has happened solely because of what he has done; there was next to nothing that you could have done to prevent this. Do not plague yourself with what ifs or fill yourself with doubts."

"But I was _there_! Thor—"

"No, Jane. That is enough. You _cannot_ dwell on what has already happened. The goal is to find my brother, to find him and bring him back." He gently squeezed her hand. "Jane, I understand that this is much to ask, but there is a way that you can help us. Might I persuade you?"

"Anything. Tell me what it is and I'll do it."

So began the days of near-eternal sleep.

oOoOo

Days passed; days became weeks, and weeks became months. Jane had spent so much time on Asgard that she had lost track of it. She couldn't tell day from night; she almost never left that room.

Jane was informed early on that no one in Asgard was to know of her presence other than a select few, which meant that she was to be confined in the room. Jane feared being caged, but she feared not being able to find Loki even more. She swallowed her fears and readily agreed.

She spent the most time with Frigga. She was kind to Jane, very understanding, and completely attuned to her mind. The older woman spent countless hours at Jane's beside, pulling at her mind every which way to see what she could find. More often than not, Jane was subjected to an induced state of sleep; Frigga was the one to induce it in hopes of finding even the smallest hint regarding the whereabouts of her youngest son.

There were no dreams. Only darkness. Jane never once protested: even when Frigga suggested she rest, Jane only shook her head and pressed for her to continue. They had to find him; there was no other way around it.

Thor visited sometimes; those days were the days that Jane looked forward to. He always managed to find a way for Jane to laugh, to feel good again. He took her mind off of the endless search for Loki. His warm smile and positivity always brightened her day.

As the months continued to pass, Jane's health slowly deteriorated. She rarely ever had a proper night's sleep, and when she did, she slept fitfully. Frigga was usually the one to wake her from her brief and dreamless nights. It was becoming difficult to eat; her stomach didn't tolerate anything that was brought for her, even the simplest and most bland meals. The dark circles that had once been beneath her eyes only deepened, and her body had reached such a point of exhaustion that it trembled. Thor and Frigga grew more and more concerned for her as the days passed.

oOoOo

"Jane? May I come in?"

"Of course."

Frigga entered with a smile on her face, softly illuminated by the hanging lamps. "How are you faring, dear girl?"

Jane stood up from where she is sitting by the balcony windows, slightly inclining her head. "Better, thank you."

"I am happy to hear it." The older woman quickly strode over to where Jane stood and looked outside. "I thought that a trip to the palace observatory might interest you. Could I convince you to accompany me?" she asked with a sly smile.

Jane's face lit up at the invitation, and she nodded eagerly. "I'd love to. I've heard it's pretty impressive," she supplied excitedly. Frigga nodded in agreement.

The two left Jane's chambers in search of the observatory. For the first time in a long time, Jane could feel shivers of excitement course through her body. Nearly three years ago, she would have given anything to be in the position she was in now. As they approached, Jane nervously ran a hand through her hair. _This is it, Jane._

Two guards pushed the doors open, nodding reverently as Frigga and Jane entered. The latter gasped in awe: the ceilings were higher than any of the observatories she had ever been to on Earth. Evening shone through the opening at the highest point in the domed ceiling, bathing the entire observatory in soft light. The circular walls were lined with bookshelves, and Jane eyed them curiously. Frigga followed her gaze and smiled ruefully.

"Those are all texts about nearly everything regarding the Nine Realms: charts, constellations, and so on. They've all been meticulously kept." She gestured to them. "Go and take a look. I believe they will be of interest to you."

Needing no further encouragement, Jane stepped forward and pulled one of the thicker tomes from the shelf. Setting it down on a nearby table, she carefully opened it. Her eyes roamed the pages hungrily. After a few moments, Jane looked up at Frigga, her eyes alight with pure joy. Frigga smiled.

"There are many questions you have; I can see them in your eyes," the older woman said. "Perhaps they might be saved for another time. For someone better suited to explain the answers than myself."

Jane nodded in understanding, and returned to the open book in front of her. She flipped through the worn pages, fascinated to read what those pages contained. As she continued to look through the old book, something painful tugged at her heart. She furrowed her brows and she found that her hand would no longer turn the pages. Familiarity pulled at the hazy corners of her mind, and a spark of recognition crossed her dark face.

"Who kept these?" she whispered, unable to meet Frigga's gaze.

"Loki did. Almost all of these journals, these charts and tomes, are his." She sighed. "He often found solace among the stars. This observatory was a gift from Odin for his coming-of-age." Frigga looked up through the circular opening in the ceiling, tears threatening to fall as she remembered more and more of her lost son. "It was nearly impossible to pull him away from here."

Jane watched Frigga with sadness, and turned her gaze back to the familiar and elegant handwriting that lined the musty pages.

"I'm so sorry," Jane said quietly. "I wish I could be more helpful. Truly."

Frigga shook her head and walked to Jane's side. "My dear girl, you've been most helpful. If not for you, we might not make a step in the proper direction. We'll find him. Do not fret," she said gently, placing a delicate hand on her forearm.

"I just wish...I wish I had paid more attention. I didn't—" Jane began, but her body began to tremble, and her vision started to lose focus.

"Jane? Are you quite alright?" Frigga asked, voice filled with concern. Jane's only response was an unsteady step backwards. Frigga moved quickly and guided Jane to the floor, holding her in her lap.

"Stay with me Jane, just a moment longer," she said soothingly. Jane whimpered as she squeezed her eyes shut. Frigga laid a palm to her temple and closed her eyes as well. She focused on harnessing Jane's subconscious, and before too long, she was sucked into Jane's vision.

_Darkness swirled around Jane, until a gust of wind pushed it away. Two figures walked toward her, both formidable. They walked among the buzz of figures working hard at something; what it was, she couldn't tell. The din of their environment was dulled, becoming a quiet hum. The two figures standing in front of them approached, and instinctively she stepped back._

_Frigga recognized the larger figure from memories of Jane's previous encounters: Thanos. He walked with his hands behind his back. The second figure at his side pulled at her heart, but she could not interfere._

_Loki._

"_Everything is nearly done. Your forces are at the ready once more."_

"_Good. You will leave for Asgard in a day's time." Thanos smirked to himself. "The Allfather's weakness grows; I can sense it. Asgard is ready for the taking. You will bring me what I asked, is that understood?"_

_Loki nodded, a vacant look in his eyes. "Yes, my lord. Once I have overtaken the Realm Eternal, the Infinity Gauntlet shall be yours."_

Frigga opened her eyes and let out the breath she hadn't known she'd been holding in. Jane lay in her lap, still unconscious.

"Guards! Guards! Come quickly!" Frigga cried out. Not moments later, two guards appeared in the observatory, waiting for their queen's command.

"One of you must take Lady Foster back to her chambers. See to it that she is looked after by the healers. The other must seek the King in the council meeting; tell the Allfather and the Prince that there has been a recent development."

The first guard quickly walked to Frigga and lifted Jane from her lap, exiting the room soon after. The second guard regarded her.

"Do you wish for me to call upon the Gatekeeper, my queen?"

Frigga shook her head. "The good Heimdall already knows to seek me out." She stood and quickly walked toward the observatory doors. "You must make haste; time is precious, and we cannot afford to lose one moment."

The second guard bowed and followed her out of the observatory, turning down the hallway opposite her.

oOoOo

Jane awoke in a panic. Her heart sped up, and she sat up quickly. She was back in her room; Frigga was not there. In fact, she was completely alone. Fear suddenly gripped her heart, and she struggled to keep her breathing steady.

Frigga was pushed out of the vision too soon. She needed to know.

Jane threw the blankets back and she hit the ground running. She nearly lost her traction as she swung the doors open and careened down the hallway. She passed quite a few guards and servants, all of whom gave her surprised looks, but she ignored them. She had one thing on her mind, and one thing only.

oOoOo

"How large was his army?" Thor asked urgently.

"Numerous; I imagine it is as large as the army you had faced on Midgard, if not more," Frigga answered solemnly.

"Was there any sign of tampering with the vision? Anything at all?" Odin asked.

"No. Everything seemed sound."

Odin nodded and turned his wizened gaze upon the Gatekeeper. He nodded.

"I can confirm, Allfather. Everything the Queen says is true."

Thor opened his mouth to ask another question when the throne room doors burst open. Jane stood in the doorway, breathless, a wild look in her eyes. The three of them stopped to face her; Thor stepped forward.

"Jane, is everything alright?" Frigga asked quickly.

"What has happened?" Thor inquired at the same time.

Jane's eyes moved rapidly between everyone in the room before she rushed forward to stand with the group. She spoke directly to Frigga.

"There's something you missed. You left too soon. That vision-we have to move quickly," she spoke hurriedly.

Thor furrowed his brow in both confusion and concern. "Jane, of what do you speak?"

Just as Jane was about to respond, a large crash was heard, followed by several screams. Jane blanched.

"They're here," she whispered.

"But...how? We were to have a day's preparation!" Thor exclaimed.

Heimdall bowed slightly. "Allfather, we do not have much time. I will speak with the captains."

"And I shall meet you on the battlefield." He turned to Jane and Frigga. "Come; we must get you to safety. Allfather, you should—"

He shook his head. "No, my son. I shall fight by your side. I will have words with Heimdall. In the meantime, take your mother and the Lady Jane to the safe rooms."

Thor nodded and did as was instructed. He quickly guided Frigga and a shivering Jane to the hidden safe rooms at the back of the palace.

oOoOo

After depositing his mother and Jane into the safe rooms, carefully guarded by a handful of palace guards, he ran to where he'd come from, following the sounds of frantic fighting. The closer he became, the louder the fight was. When he reached the throne room, it was teeming with Chitauri; the Aesir were in a frenzy to combat their newest threat. Several of the palace's residents lay slain, many of them simple palace guards. Thor quickly surveyed the damage, and held his palm out as he called for Mjolnir. He gritted his teeth, watching with disgust as Chitauri cut down numerous palace guards.

A smile of satisfaction reached his lips as he felt Mjolnir slap into his palm, catching the attention of several Chitauri soldiers. They screeched as they recognized him, and ran toward him, brandishing their weapons in the air. Thor lifted Mjolnir above his head and swung the hammer forward, knocking the beastly soldiers back several feet. He cut through the droves, helping the remaining palace guards fight off those that had made it inside.

Once he made an advance, pushing the Chitauri soldiers back out of the main hall, he rushed out into the city. He gasped; the city was nearly overrun. Aesir ran frantically as the Chitauri forces chased them, slaying anyone in their path. Clenching his teeth, Thor raised the hammer above his head and summoned lightning. Dark clouds began to swirl in the sky, and lightning struck his adversaries, killing them where they stood.

Thor spotted the gleaming golden armor of the Allfather, and he made his way to where he stood.

"Father!" he called out. Odin, in all his glory, stood beside Heimdall and the captains of each regiment. The Allfather barked out short orders, and the captains scrambled. In no less than three short moments, the Aesir regiments marched into the city.

"How did you manage to assemble the Aesir army so quickly?" Thor asked the Gatekeeper. He bowed his head.

"I sensed an imbalance; something did not feel right with the universe, my Prince. I alerted the captains and they prepared for this a few days before now." He shook his head. "Though I will admit, I did not know it would be the Lost Prince."

The three stood in silence, all feeling the sting of bitter disappointment. Never did they imagine Loki's schemes would bring them to this.

Their reflection, however, was short-lived; the screeching of the Chitauri's war cry broke through their thoughts, bringing them back to the present. Thor set his jaw.

"Your plan of attack, Father?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"That is just it, my son: attack."

Thor grinned maliciously and threw Mjolnir forward. The hammer parted the proverbial sea of enemies, tearing down one Chitauri soldier after another. The Allfather jumped into the fray beside Heimdall, wielding Gungnir and cutting down each adversary that made the unfortunate mistake of crossing his path. The Gatekeeper fought with just as much tenacity and without mercy.

Thor advanced quickly through the enemy ranks; the thrill of battle and bloodshed, though not as potent as in his youth, rushed through his veins. Nothing could stop him now, not even—

He froze. The drone of battle dropped to a dull buzz in his ears, and he neither heard nor saw anything else but what stood before him. Dread seeped into every corner of his body and pooled in the pit of his stomach as his blood ran cold. Thor's blue eyes met the unnatural blue of the figure in front of him as it approached, face completely devoid of any recognition or emotion.

In that moment, Thor felt his heart tear in two.

Loki stood before him, staff poised for attack. Only then did Thor realize its target:

His own heart.

* * *

**A/N: Whew, guys. This is going to be a lengthy author's note. I first have to apologize; this has been the longest I've gone without updating, but for good reason. One, I've been acclimating myself with classes and university (max credit hours: not my best decision), and two, this chapter was extremely difficult to write. If you know me and my writing, you will know that I hate writing the boring stuff, and I often get stuck. Plus, I don't have to beta, so I need to go over chapters more than once just to make sure that I get everything correct (and even then, I miss things). Please be patient with me; I'm going to try my best to update quicker next time. I just didn't feel right giving you all a really short chapter this time around. **

**Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I hope it was worth the wait. Thank you guys so much for your patience, and I hope to see some reviews!**

**-Soph**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Well my friends, it's been quite a journey! I really hope you enjoy this last chapter; I hope it was worth the wait! It was so tough for me to write, but I think I'm pretty satisfied with the result. Please review if you can/would like to; I love getting feedback! Thank you all for your immense support and patience! Enjoy!**

* * *

It had only been an hour, but it felt as though an entire day had passed. Jane sat in the corner of the safe room, fidgeting nervously. Frigga appeared calm and collected, but after being around the Queen for as long as she had, Jane knew better. She knew something was unsettling her, and she could see the pain beneath her glassy eyes.

Jane could understand the pain behind her eyes: knowing that your son was back home, but that he was not the same as he had once been, as he was in memory, was enough to tear any mother apart. Jane stopped fidgeting and stood up, making her way over to Frigga. She laced her fingers through Frigga's and squeezed gently.

"It'll be okay. The both of them will be just fine," Jane said with a smile. Frigga turned to her and smiled before proceeding to place a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"You are kind, Jane, even when life has been unkind to you. I am fortunate to have known you," Frigga said softly. The corners of Jane's lips quirked up in a half smile.

"Thanks. I always try to be positive about things; it's hard sometimes, but it helps make the situation seem better."

Frigga looped her arm through Jane's and led her over to a small cushioned bench. She motioned for her to sit beside her, and Jane did so. Her eyes examined the young woman: the dark circles beneath her eyes were less pronounced, but they were still present. Her entire body trembled, but Frigga could see that Jane fought the tremors. Her fingers twitched every once in a while, and when she caught Frigga looking, she averted her gaze.

Frigga inhaled deeply, as if she were about to speak but all that followed was a pregnant pause that made Jane nervous. Frigga smiled sadly, and Jane's gaze fell to the floor.

"Jane, I know you are just as worried as I am. I see it in your heart." She paused. "You love him."

Jane blanched. "I-I—no, I don't love him, like _that_," she tried to explain, but Frigga only gave her a knowing smile.

"Jane, if you did not love him, you would never have known him."

Jane had been prepared to open her mouth to refute whatever Frigga was intending to say, but was utterly unprepared for the profound statement that fell from the Queen's lips. Jane brows furrowed and she met Frigga's knowing gaze with confusion.

"W-what?" she asked in a whisper.

Frigga bowed her head. "Jane...there is a reason why Loki was intended to stay with you on Midgard. You may believe that it is because of my eldest son; part of it is, but not entirely." She shifted to face Jane. "You see, Jane, as you already know, I am a seer. Though the future is constantly changing, I always see nearly every possible outcome.

"When Thor returned home with Loki, the Allfather was charged with deciding Loki's fate. When we knew Loki would be brought home, and after the council decided that Loki's punishment would be put into place by Odin and Odin alone, we tried to think of every alternative. We knew he had already endured so much cruelty and abuse at the hands of the Chitauri, so I suggested that we do the same with him as we did with Thor: strip him of his powers and banish him to Midgard."

"But...why would you send him to Midgard when you knew he could just as easily be tortured or even killed as any place before?" Jane asked in confusion.

"Because we had something that we could count on that did not when Thor was banished: you," Frigga replied.

Jane's throat felt constricted, and her cheeks felt hot as her skin burned with realization. She had a feeling she already knew the answer, but she couldn't help but ask.

"What was so special about me? Is it because I found Thor?"

Frigga pursed her lips. "Well, I suppose _part_ of it was. But part of it was because when Odin had suggested it, I had been granted a vision of what would become of Loki should we decide to place him in your charge." She smiled. "It was the best solution we had, and the outcome was the most desirable."

"You thought...you thought I would change him," Jane whispered.

"We did."

"But you didn't see _this_ happening? His kidnapping? You say you see things: past, present, and future, but you didn't see Loki being kidnapped and brainwashed?" she asked desperately.

Frigga shook her head. "Recall I said I can see _almost_ every outcome, not every single one. I had seen that Loki would be changed for the better, but never...never had I foreseen what would happen, what's happening now." Her expression grew sober, and her eyebrows drew together. Jane put her hand over Frigga's and squeezed gently.

"I promise to you, we'll get him back. I'll do whatever I can to help get him back."

oOoOo

The battle had raged on for hours; the Aesir army fought valiantly, but the Chitauri forces outnumbered the Asgardians. Odin was quickly beginning to see the looming threat of death and defeat for everyone on the field. He realized it was part of battle, but not like this; not marching straight into a trap without any chance of succeeding.

"Heimdall!" he called out, voice booming over the din of the fighting. He could not find the Gatekeeper or his son. A few moments later, a rough voice shouted back.

"Yes, my King?"

"Heimdall! Call the forces back; we are not making any headway!" Odin commanded, cutting down several Chitauri in the process. He spared a gaze toward the Gatekeeper, only to see he was doing much of the same.

Heimdall did not respond, but once the drove of beasts was beaten back, he ran to Odin's side. He was preparing to say something when two Chitauri hissed from behind them. Heimdall spun and swung his sword, cutting them down where they stood.

"My King, are you sure that retreat is the best choice?" Heimdall asked warily. It was unlike the Gatekeeper to ask questions of the Allfather; it gave the latter pause to think about what he'd asked.

"Odin Allfather! Do not prolong the inevitable! Surrender, or you will face the loss of not one, but two sons!" Thanos' booming voice called out. The soldiers ceased to fight, their eyes trained on the source of the voice. Odin froze, and his gaze swept across the battlefield. What he saw next created a pit in his stomach:

Thor, bound up and bloodied, with Thanos and Loki standing over him.

Tears blurred his vision, and for a short moment, he did not see the two as grown men, but as boys. Odin stumbled forward in disbelief, and Heimdall's hand shot out to steady him.

"Thanos, leave them be. Your quarrel is not with them. It is with me. They are but innocent boys; they have done you no wrong—"

"Do not play with me, Allfather," Thanos spat. "You and I both know that they are no longer boys, and their actions are not innocent!" He grinned maliciously.

"What quarrel do you have with them?" Odin asked desperately.

Thanos' expression hardened. "_Quarrel_? Your _bastard_ son promised me the tesseract in exchange for the Earth and did not deliver! I have come to collect what is rightfully mine!" he hissed. "Since he did not deliver what was promised, I have decided to take it myself; your sons are merely a means for you to understand the gravity of the situation, Allfather."

"What is it you seek, Thanos?"

"Do not act as if you do not know what it is I seek!" he snapped. Odin sighed in resignation: he would not lose his only sons.

Odin bowed his head wearily. "I will acquiesce, but only if I receive my sons back in exchange. You will do them no further harm, and you will leave this place. Do we have an accord?"

Thanos smiled wickedly. "Yes, Odin Allfather." He nodded to a Chitauri soldier, and they began to retreat. He then nodded toward Loki, and Thor was pushed forward. They walked through the carnage, the soldiers still alive standing among the dead. The Chitauri moved restlessly, eager for the battle to begin again, but Thanos waved a hand, and they slowly retreated. Though Heimdall watched in utter disbelief, his face remained impassive. This was the end.

oOoOo

The four walked into the weapons vault; Thanos walked just behind the Allfather, and Loki behind them, driving his brother forward with the tip of his spear. The Allfather came to a stop, and let out a breathy sigh.

"The tesseract, Allfather. Now," Thanos barked. Odin moved forward a few steps and approached a seamless case that appeared to be made of stone. His fingertips grazed over it gently, and the stone shifted around to reveal a glowing blue object.

_The tesseract_.

Thor's heart dropped. "Father—"

Loki delivered a swift and sharp kick to Thor's side, effectively cutting him off. Thor grimaced, and Odin turned around to face Thanos. He handled the tesseract gingerly, and the Titan grinned madly.

"Hand it over."

Odin met his gaze. "You will release my sons now?" he asked. Something broke inside Thor as he witnessed his father reduced to pleading. The strongest man he'd ever known reduced to such a state made his heart ache.

_How did everything come to this?_

Thanos nodded, and Odin hesitantly relinquished the tesseract. The grin on Thanos' face grew wicked as he held the cube. He turned it over in his large hands gingerly, his attention utterly absorbed by the glowing object. Odin straightened up.

"I have held up my end of the bargain, Titan. You must hold up yours," he said firmly. Thanos froze, almost as if he'd forgotten he was not alone. His gaze turned menacing, and he focused singularly on Odin.

"Surely you must not think me to be a man of my word? Allfather, you truly have grown weak-minded in your old age," Thanos said mockingly. Thor began to struggle with his bonds as he watched the scene unfold before him. Loki kicked him again, but his mind was elsewhere. Thor made less of a show to free himself of his bindings, focused singularly on escape. His gaze flickered between Loki and Thanos.

_Hurry, you oaf_, Thor thought to himself through clenched teeth as he worked to free himself.

"Allfather, I graciously extend my gratitude; you have single-handedly delivered the weapon that will be your ultimate undoing, as well as the entirety of the Nine Realms." He smiled to himself. "Death will be pleased with this gift," he continued, more to himself.

Thanos lifted the tesseract higher, and it began to glow even brighter. Thor's eyes grew wide as his mind raced for a distraction.

"'Death'? Why do you speak of death as if it is an entity?" Thor asked. He immediately regretted it; he felt like an idiot for asking something so stupid. _As long as it buys time_, he thought to himself.

Thanos turned to him, an incredulous look on his face. "What do you mean, boy?" he spat.

Thor frantically searched his mind, but kept his demeanor cool. "You speak of death as if it is a sentient being. There are...legends," he began, unsure of whether or not he could continue.

"Go on."

Thor gulped. "There are legends that tell of your pursuit of 'Mistress Death'. Such legends were told to me in my youth by many a superstitious guard and soldier. I did not think it true."

Thanos gave Thor an icy glare. "Of _course_ it's true, you fool! Mistress Death will be among us soon." He smiled to himself. "You will see for yourself."

"Death is not a being. Death is not even an entity," Thor refuted, floundering as he tried to buy more time. "Surely you speak of Hela, the ruler of Hel?"

"Of course _not_, you ignorant boy!" Thanos seethed. "She is a mere guardian of Death's realm. She is of no consequence!"

Thor opened his mouth to say something else, but Thanos interrupted him. "Enough of this foolishness! I will have no more of your questions!" he roared.

Thor flinched, and watched in horror as the Titan raised the tesseract, aiming for him. Everything seemed to fall to silence around him; he was vaguely aware that Odin cried out in anguish for him. He hung his head in resignation, but Loki grabbed his hair and forced him to look at Thanos. The room grew brighter, and he did his best not to look as frightened as he felt. He shut his eyes and with a final exhale, Thor steeled himself for death. He waited for the blow to come, for the sensation of unbridled and unrelenting energy to course through his body. He waited for his consciousness to be stripped from him, for his last breath to be taken from him.

But it never came.

Thor opened his eyes. His mouth slightly hung open in bewilderment: Thanos had stopped what he had been about to do, and began to speak, though not to anyone present in the room.

"My Mistress...I have brought you endless gifts; do you not rejoice? You will soon have the mighty Thor and Odin Allfather at your very fingertips!" He paused. "I have the tesseract; I will use it to bring to you more deaths than you've ever had...we will be the most powerful beings in all of the Nine Realms."

His expression changed: he became confused. "But, you require such things, do you not? Have I not done all you have asked of me? Have I not provided all that you have needed? Have I not been loyal to you through the millenia?" he asked the empty space in front of him. It was then that Thor witnessed something that he never thought possible: he saw fear in Thanos' eyes.

"No…_no_! Why? Why would you do this? Let me conquer in your name, Mistress! You mustn't take me yet!" he cried out in desperation.

Thanos suddenly began to convulse, and Thor could do nothing but stare in absolute confusion. _What was happening?_ He watched, utterly dumbfounded, as Thanos's immortal form began to dissipate before his own eyes.

It wasn't too long before his entire being faded from existence. The weapons vault was silent, and Thor finally looked over to his father. Odin's mouth was set in a hard line, and his eye was trained on the place where Thanos had completely dissolved; he blinked once, then twice, and sighed minutely.

"Father…what has happened? Where has Thanos gone?" Thor heard himself ask. Odin did not remove his gaze from where it lie as he contemplated the answer.

"It was his own power that defeated him; he believed Death to be his power, and it overtook him so strongly that his mind created a seemingly physical manifestation, an embodiment of death itself. He killed in the name of this entity; thousands upon thousands of lives taken for the sole purpose of feeding his own power. But it was never enough. His own desire to please his version of death, to fuel 'her' power was what ultimately consumed him. He is the means of his own undoing," the Allfather explained pensively.

Thor was silent for a few moments before speaking again. "What is to be done about Loki?"

Odin's gaze traveled to his youngest son: as soon as the latter heard his name, he jabbed his shackled brother with the base of the scepter. Thor grimaced; the Allfather squared his shoulders and faced Loki.

"Loki," he began quietly, "I now strip you of your power. I bind you by the ancient magic of my forefathers-" the Allfather held his hand out, and Loki froze; the scepter dropped from his grasp and fell, clattering to the floor.

"You are hereby stripped of your magic, and you must prove yourself to regain it."

Loki was forced to his knees, and chains appeared from thin air; they fastened around his wrists, and held him to the floor of the weapons vault. He struggled against the chains that bound him, and he gritted his teeth.

The Allfather stepped over to where Thor knelt, and unbound him. Thor stood and faced his brother. His eyes gleamed, unnaturally blue, as he seethed.

"Thor, you had better see how your mother and the Lady Foster are faring," Odin suggested. Thor nodded, and strode out of the weapons vault.

oOoOo

The door to the safe room opened slowly, and Frigga's eyes shot open. Once she saw it was only Thor, she slightly relaxed. Jane lay asleep next to her, head in her lap.

"Thor," she breathed. Frigga gently shook Jane awake. The latter started, and shot up.

"Is everything okay?" she asked urgently, looking around the room. Jane's eyes locked on Thor, and she froze. A relieved smile spread across her face. "We won."

Thor nodded solemnly, but cast his eyes down to the floor. Jane stood up and strode over to where he stood. Frigga stood as well, but did not join Jane and her son.

Jane reached up and touched Thor's cheek; she lowered her head to try and meet his gaze.

"Thor? Thor, look at me. What happened?" she asked worriedly. Thor reluctantly lifted his head and pressed his lips together.

"Jane...Thanos is gone; he ultimately defeated himself, but Loki is still under some sort of spell. He's no longer himself."

Jane's heart dropped. "What? What do you mean, 'no longer himself'? Thor?"

Thor briefly looked to his mother. She nodded knowingly.

"Perhaps it would be better to show you," Thor replied after a moment. He held out his hand, and Jane took it. Frigga followed as the two led the way out of the safe room.

The journey to the weapons vault was silent. Jane tried her best not to look at the fallen guards on the floors as they passed through the Great Hall. Thor could sense her unease; he squeezed her hand in reassurance and quickened his pace. Before too long, they approached the weapons vault.

In the short space of time Thor was gone, a few of the remaining guards stood watch at the entrance. They were battered; if they were in any pain, they took care to hide it. The guards nodded in deference, and Thor walked past them through the large doors. The three walked down two flights of stairs before reaching another set of doors, where yet another set of guarded doors lay before them. Thor quickly stepped through them, and walked down a final flight of steps. At the bottom of the stairs, Jane stopped; the room seemed too quiet, and her gaze swept its entirety. Her eyes flitted between weapons she could have never imagined would exist, but they finally landed on the figure shackled to the floor of the vault.

Frigga moved from behind Jane and quickly walked over to the Allfather. He embraced her tightly, and the two exchanged words, but Jane couldn't understand them. Frigga eventually pulled from her husband's embrace, and turned around. Her hand flew to her mouth as she saw a figure shackled to the vault floor. The Allfather's hands gently rested on her shoulders; Frigga could not move.

Jane's gaze followed Frigga's, and she froze. Her brow furrowed, and she stepped forward. Thor's arm shot out and grabbed a hold of her, but she shook him off.

"Jane-"

"No," she whispered as she approached the shadowed figure. She circled around until she found his face.

_Loki._

His head hung low, and his shoulders were slumped forward. His hair draped around his face, and his breathing was rapid and ragged. The shackles scraped against the floor if he tried to move, and he clenched his fist as he heard the sound of the chains against the stone.

"Loki?" she whispered. His head shot up at the mention of his name, and his eyes met hers. Jane started, and was startled by the intensity of his gaze. She was confused; she was used to his usual unwavering eyes, but she felt unnerved by the brightness of his unfamiliar blue eyes.

"Hello, Jane Foster," he said hoarsely. A wicked grin spread across his face. "Come to mourn the prisoner?"

Jane's brows drew together. "What? Loki, what's going on?" She reached out a hand to touch his face, but he lunged for her. She gasped.

Thor moved quickly and moved Jane out of Loki's reach. He writhed and struggled against his shackles, pulling the chains taut. He had been close enough to reach out and grab her throat; he nearly did, but Thor pulled her out of range before he'd had the chance.

"Jane, Loki's unstable. He doesn't recall you in the same manner as he did before. To him, you're a part of his defeat. You're...you're the enemy," Thor said softly.

"That's not true!" Jane refuted. She struggled against Thor's hold on her, but she couldn't move. He held her arms tightly against her sides. A choked sob escaped her, and she tried to wriggle from his grasp.

"Jane, I am so sorry. I wish it weren't so, but it is. We have to find a way to help him to remember—"

"Then just let me sit with him! I _know_ the real Loki is there! He just needs a little help! I can do that!" Jane pleaded.

"Jane, did you not see what he just tried to do?" Thor asked incredulously. "He could have hurt you! You cannot be near him when he's like this. I'm sorry, Jane." Thor stood up, still holding onto Jane, and pulled her back, away from Loki.

"No!" she cried out. She fought him, but he was unyielding. She kicked her legs out blindly, trying her hardest to break free of him. She shouted and screamed; Frigga and Odin watched sadly as Jane struggled.

"Let me go!" Jane cried out again, but Thor ignored her. She kicked out again, and her foot connected with something solid. She stopped her screaming and kicking to see what she'd hit, and her eyes widened: her kick had connected with Loki's head, and he lay on the stone floor of the vault, unconscious.

Jane suddenly felt tired; she had not realized how much energy she'd spent in the last few hours. Her body was weak, and her thoughts became unclear. Her muscles slackened, and she went limp in Thor's arms. He eased her to the floor and held her gently. She hiccupped a few times as she tried to control her breathing, but she was too spent to focus on anything. Her eyes strained as they fought to stay open, but she eventually lost that battle as well. Her head fell against his armor as she slipped into unconsciousness.

Frigga knelt down beside her son and stroked the hair from Jane's brow. "The strain was too much for her. She's been unwell for too long, and her body is much too weak. We should not have brought her," she said softly. Thor smiled ruefully.

"She would have come whether or not we allowed it. There's no stopping Jane Foster."

Frigga opened her mouth to say something in reply, but was interrupted by a pained groan. She and Thor looked up to see Loki holding his head, grimacing. He heard the clanking of his shackles, and he observed them in utter confusion.

"What's happened?" he asked, blinking at the two of them.

"It appears you've been brought back to your senses," Odin said with a weary smile. Loki looked around.

"Why am I in chains?"

Neither Thor nor Frigga replied immediately; they were both unsure of how to begin explaining everything that had transpired. He studied them intently, and his gaze traveled to the unconscious figure of Jane Foster lying in his brother's arms. His expression became pained; he felt as if the air had been stolen from his lungs. He never took his eyes from her.

"I-is that...?"

"Jane? Yes," Frigga replied gently. Loki pressed his lips together, and his eyebrows furrowed.

"No," he choked. "Jane!" He pulled against the shackles, trying to break free of them. Frigga moved to kneel by Loki. She took his face between her hands and looked him in the eye.

"Loki, Jane will be okay! Hush, son!" she said, forcing him to look at her. "I will explain everything to you, in time, but for the time being, you have to leave her be. You need to be looked after."

He shook his head. "No, you must leave me, you must look after Jane—"

"Loki, we can do both. You have to let us help you!" Her thumbs stroked his cheeks. "Please," she whispered. "You cannot help Jane until you help yourself. Understand?"

Loki's eyes flickered, and he looked between his mother and Odin, gaze finally resting on Jane's unconscious form in Thor's arms.

"Do it for her. Be better for her," Frigga whispered. Loki bowed his head.

"I will."

oOoOo

The aftermath of the attack was overwhelming. Odin and Frigga began the process of rebuilding and reestablishing order within the kingdom as soon as possible. The Allfather had not anticipated such a large number of Chitauri, and the outlying cities had sustained much more damage than originally expected. Thor helped as much as he could: since the attack on Asgard, other realms grew fearful of Thanos' power. Odin acted quickly to quell their fear, and he appointed Thor as a temporary liaison of Asgard as a means of giving reassurance to other realms that Thanos no longer posed a threat.

Days passed, and the healers tended to both Loki and Jane. They were kept separated; there were times when Loki desperately wanted to go to her, but he was afraid that his mind was not yet completely his own. He was afraid of hurting her, and causing more damage. The nights grew impossibly long; he was tortured by thoughts of what might have happened, what he might have done. He eventually gave up his pursuit of sleep and settled for walking the castle grounds. Most times, he would go to the Bifrost and visit with the Gatekeepter; the first few visits were tense, but Heimdall became used to Loki's presence. He did not bother him, but would answer his questions if he asked any.

Other times, though, he would find his way to Jane's room. There was always a healer at her bedside, so Loki felt a little bit more comfortable allowing himself to visit her. He would ask the healer what ailed her, but she would only shake her head and continue on with her work. After once or twice, he didn't bother to ask; instead, he sat with her until morning. Some nights, he would tell her stories of the stars, and of childhood memories. Surprisingly, after enough time had passed, the attending healer would leave the room while he told them. A small part of him hoped that she would stir, that she would awaken, but he wasn't sure what he would do if she did.

One evening, Loki had been in the middle of narrating a story regarding one of his and Thor's many adventures when the door across the room opened slowly. Loki paused, assuming the evening healer had forgotten something, but was surprised when he saw Frigga standing in the doorway. He stood immediately and bowed his head. She shook her head.

"There is no need for that, my son," she said softly. Loki kept his head down, and Frigga strode over to where he stood. "Come, sit down."

Loki nodded and took a seat next to Frigga. "She seems to be doing well," she said after a moment.

"I suppose if you call unconscious 'doing well'," Loki replied. Frigga shook her head.

"There's no need for that, Loki. Things could be much worse," she explained. Loki met her gaze.

"Why won't she wake up?" he whispered.

"I suppose it's time you knew," Frigga replied with a half smile. "When you had been kidnapped, everyone was in a frenzy, trying to find you. Jane was the first to know you were taken; Heimdall had been watching as well, and he alerted us immediately. We sent your brother to retrieve her, to see if she could help find you." She paused. "It was lucky we sent him at the time that we did, or things might have been worse for Jane.

"When Thor had arrived on Midgard, Jane was in the throes of some sort of nightmare. We soon figured out that she'd been having terrible visions; I saw, through her memories, that she'd had them before but she learned to control them from you." Frigga smiled and patted his arm gently, but her smile faded as she continued.

"Soon after arriving, Jane fell ill. The healers did their best to keep her healthy, but hers was a sickness they'd never encountered before. I intervened, but even I couldn't make much progress. Every few days, I would examine her mind to see if there were any new developments, but most times, I didn't see past the memories I'd seen and the nightmares she'd already had.

"I took her to the observatory one day, when she was feeling better. She loved it; it was wonderful to see a smile on her face after so many months. She even recognized your handwriting in the records you kept. She asked me questions, but I told her she should wait until you returned to us."

Loki dropped his gaze to his lap and absently picked at his thumb. He smiled as he thought of the first time Jane showed him Midgardian star charts and constellations. She was so passionate; it was as if in those few hours, she'd forgotten that her charge was a wanted war criminal. Her only concern was making sure that he was able to follow her conversations about the stars.

"She loves you, Loki. Very much," Frigga said softly.

Loki froze. "Don't be ridiculous."

"Don't you ever call your mother ridiculous, Loki Odinson," she admonished. "I would not lie to you. Not about this."

"How can you possibly know?" he whispered.

"Her memories. Also, when we were in the observatory, and I told her about how it was completely yours. Any mention of your name made her smile. Beyond that, she was so eager to have you back; she hardly would accept any sort of rest, not while you were gone. She worked her body and mind to exhaustion to seek you out. She would have given her life for you. Jane never gave up on you; not for a moment."

Upon hearing Frigga's explanation, Loki was silent. He held his head in his hands in disbelief, trying to fathom all that she had said.

_Could it be true?_

"And I know you feel the same about her," she finished.

"I disappointed her. I disappointed _you_, and I disappointed Thor."

"How so?"

"I didn't change. I didn't learn—"

"You don't see it yet, but you _did_ learn. You _did_ change." Frigga smiled knowingly. "You'll see, soon enough."

Loki closed his eyes slowly and shook his head. He sighed deeply. Frigga placed a hand on his shoulder.

"What troubles you?"

"I'm afraid," he said quietly.

"Why?"

"Because," he explained sadly, "I don't want this to be merely happenstance."

"You mean Jane," she replied, more of a statement than a question. Loki nodded.

"You sent me to Jane for a purpose. You _knew_ that something would come of it. Was this what you had foreseen?"

Frigga hesitated before replying. "Yes and no. Your father and I had anticipated you to be changed for the better, to see that you were loved. What developed between you and Jane was simply borne out of fostering the relationship I knew you would form."

"You mean a friendship," Loki replied. Frigga nodded.

"But do not believe it to be coincidence, Loki. Think of it as fate."

Loki's brows knitted together in confusion. "Fate? Fate is the reason—"

"—you have Jane," she finished for him. "Fate has given you a second chance in the form of a mortal woman. What you have now is love. Honest and steadfast and _beautiful_ love. It may have been mere happenstance at first, but not anymore. Don't make the mistake of treating it as such; embrace it, and never give it up."

oOoOo

Thor walked wearily into the throne room, feet dragging behind him. The last few days had taken a toll on him: since being appointed as temporary liaison to Asgard, each council had requested his presence immediately, demanding information regarding Thanos. He wasn't used to being pulled in so many directions, and it showed.

Odin stood by the throne, speaking quietly with Heimdall. The two finished their conversation just as Thor approached, and Heimdall bowed to the both of them and left without another word. Thor nodded to his father and sat down slowly on the top step leading to the throne. Surprisingly, Odin joined him, slowly sinking to the step next to his son.

"How are the council meetings progressing?" Odin finally asked. Thor paused before answering, first with a nod.

"Well, I think. I spoke with the Vanaheim's king and council in addition to Svartalfheim's king and council. Their fear was quelled once I explained everything. Each is still suspicious of Loki, but I told them he isn't a threat. Not anymore."

Odin nodded in approval. "You've done well."

Thor smiled weakly. "I've done the best that I can. We'll see how good my efforts are in a few months' time." He looked over to his father to find him smiling proudly.

"You sound like a king, my son."

oOoOo

Jane's eyes fluttered open, and she inhaled deeply. Her eyes adjusted as she blinked away the darkness. The room was faintly illuminated by dimly burning oil lamps. The window was open, which allowed in the cool evening breeze. She at up slowly, and looked about the room. The healer attending to her was absent, as evidence by the empty chair by her bedside.

Breathing deeply, Jane pushed back the sheets and swung her legs over the side of the bed. She ran a hand through her tangled hair. She closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying the silence.

Jane had been so focused on the relaxing silence that the sound of footsteps in the hall made her a little anxious, especially when they stopped in front of her room. She opened her eyes. The door into the room opened slowly, but Jane didn't turn around. The door closed again, but the footsteps stopped short.

"Jane?" whispered a familiar voice. Jane's eyes grew a little wider, and she sat up straighter. The footsteps picked up again, more quickly this time. Jane lifted her head and waited until she saw him.

Loki stopped in front of Jane, standing only a few feet away. She met his gaze; his eyes revealed incredulity and fear, disbelief and relief. He hesitantly reached out for her, but she instinctually flinched. Loki's hand froze, and pain briefly flashed across his face. He pulled his arm back, letting it fall to his side. Jane looked him over once, twice, before letting her gaze settle on his face once more.

"Jane, it's me. I will not hurt you, I promise," he reassured her softly. Jane's eyes locked with his and after a moment, she relaxed a little. She stretched her legs down to the floor and took a few steps toward him, but on the third step she faltered. Loki moved quickly and caught her, steadying her. He didn't let go of her until she was sure she could stand on her own.

"How...how are you feeling?" he asked. Jane tried taking another step forward, bracing herself using Loki's now outstretched arm.

"Drained. Empty," Jane replied.

"Then you should rest," Loki suggested, leading her back to the bed. Jane shook her head and pushed him gently. Loki gave her a pleading look, and Jane compromised, sitting on the edge of the bed. She patted the space beside her, and Loki sat down as well.

"I've rested enough. It's over now. The nightmares are finally gone," Jane said, sounding relieved. "And you're back."

Loki averted his gaze, eyes settling on the floor. "Jane, I am sorry; I am so sorry about _everything_. This never should have happened to you—"

"Well, if it didn't, I wouldn't have met you, would I?" Jane interjected with a half smile. Loki's brows furrowed.

"You were never meant to be so tangled up in such a mess. It's my fault," he continued. Jane scooted closer to Loki and wrapped an arm around his shoulder, pulling him close. His head rested on her shoulder. The two were silent; the only audible sound was the wind as it blew outside.

"You wanna know something?" Jane finally asked after a few minutes. Loki hummed, and she continued. "I would have done everything: the nightmares, the sleepless nights, _everything_, all over again in a heartbeat."

Loki raised his head from her shoulder and looked at her incredulously. "What do you mean, Jane?"

"If it meant that you were safe, then I'd do it all again. No questions asked," she replied with a smile.

"But...why?"

"Because you mean _that_ much to me." Jane inhaled before continuing. "I didn't really realize it until you were gone. I think I'd gotten so used to you being around me that it became a normal thing. I looked forward to talking with you, being around you, even _arguing_ with you. You weren't somebody that I had to keep watch over anymore. You were a completely different person. You were a friend.

"When you were taken, I panicked. I looked everywhere for you. I knew something was up when I saw my notes lying on the living room floor, scattered and disorganized. I knew that wasn't like you. I went down to Fury and asked him if he'd seen you, but he hadn't. Everyone was in a frenzy. I went back to the apartment to wait for you in case you came back." Jane laughed halfheartedly. "You know, I kept holding on to a tiny sliver of hope that you'd just, I dunno, gone to the pier or something, and that you'd be back in the apartment when I got back up there. Funny thing is, I didn't get to draw out that hope when I got back to the apartment. I blacked out when I walked back through the front door."

Jane pressed her lips together. "It was lucky Thor found me when I did, I guess. He brought me here, and the episode must have lasted a lot longer than the others. When everything was explained to me, I almost didn't believe it. Any of it. I kept wishing it was all just a bad dream. I even thought that the other nightmares I'd been having were better than this one. When Frigga told me what had to be done, I didn't even hesitate. If there was even a chance, _any_ chance, that I could get you back, I took it. Come to think of it, I would have taken any chance to get you back.

"It was terrible to see how it affected your family. Seeing Frigga each day, the same pain renewed in her eyes any time your name was mentioned, was torture. Thor…I can't even begin to describe how deeply he missed you. He even left to search you out. He tried to scour each realm, but Frigga wouldn't have it. I only saw Odin once, but it was enough to know how afraid he was for you.

"I think the worst thing was feeling helpless. Frigga and I tried, _every_ day, to find you. The strange thing was, I could never remember my nightmares when I woke up here. Back at home, on Earth, I could remember them like any picture of the star clusters in my research. Everything was _so_ clear, but when I came here, they weren't." Jane paused briefly, picking at her thumbnail. "That's when Frigga suggested she search my mind to see if there was anything new that could lead them to you. I didn't even hesitate. Eventually, that became our routine. We never stopped looking for you, not even for a second."

Jane reached over and laced her fingers through Loki's and squeezed his hand tightly. Pain gripped Loki's heart: here she was, sacrificing so much for him, while he'd done nothing but bring death and destruction to Jane's life. He'd turned it upside down in a matter of months. Her normal way of life had been uprooted, and she'd given up everything in pursuit of him.

_She would have given her life for you_.

Loki's was startled from his reverie by a sudden sniffle. He looked to his side and saw Jane wipe away a stray tear with the heel of her hand. She bit her lip.

"You know what I just said, about the worst part about this was feeling so helpless? I don't know that that's what the worst was, now that I think about it. I think the worst thing was to come to terms with the possibility of losing you forever. That's what scared me the most," she whispered. Her eyes were filled with tears, and soon the tears began to spill over. Loki reached over and stroked them away gently.

"Jane, you don't have to worry about that any longer. I will _not_ leave you, not so long as there is still breath in my body. I promise to protect you always. There is nothing that could take me from you now. _Nothing_. Do you understand?"

Jane nodded, meeting his gaze. She hiccupped, and Loki continued.

"Jane, I-I love you."

Jane's mouth slightly dropped open, and she smiled in disbelief. "You...you do?"

Loki nodded. "With all my heart. I would follow you to the ends of the Nine Realms." He paused. "You do believe me, don't you?"

Jane was rendered speechless; all she could do was nod. Loki pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. He then cupped her face with his hands and kissed her sweetly. This was different from the first; the first kiss had been filled with desire and desperation, but this was filled with love. Pure and unadulterated. She leaned into him, resting one hand on his shoulder and entwining her fingers with his. He squeezed her hand, and they parted their embrace. He leaned his forehead against hers, eyes closed.

"Jane, may I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"Do you believe in happenstance?"

She lifted her head up and looked at him. "You mean like coincidence?"

Loki nodded. "Yes." Jane smiled and shook her head.

"No such thing."


End file.
